


Everybody's Wearing A Disguise

by Jude_Rigby



Series: Beware Of Darkness [18]
Category: Castle (TV 2009)
Genre: Bed & Breakfast, Crime, Drama, F/M, Family, Family Fluff, Halloween, Halloween Costumes, Romance, halloween party
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-03-14
Updated: 2021-03-15
Packaged: 2021-03-22 15:34:44
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 16
Words: 164,153
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/30040878
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Jude_Rigby/pseuds/Jude_Rigby
Summary: Castle and Beckett take a break from planning a Halloween party for friends and family to attend a costume party at the Beach B&B. A body is soon discovered and the two find themselves searching for a killer bent on terrifying their fellow guests. Eighteenth in the Beware Of Darkness series.
Relationships: Kate Beckett & Richard Castle, Kate Beckett/Richard Castle
Series: Beware Of Darkness [18]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2006014
Kudos: 2





	1. Prologue- Nowhere Left To Run

**Author's Note:**

> A quick note, this story brings the series past the epilogue of the story Save The Last Dance For Me.
> 
> The title of this story is a lyric from the song Abandoned Love written by Bob Dylan, the version I have taken it from is a demo sung by George Harrison. The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Thriller which was sung by Michael Jackson and written by Rod Temperton, from Michael Jackson's album of the same name.

The skirt of her dress billowing around her as she came to a stop at the shore of the pond Beckett looked through the tree line searching for sight of anything. Her panting breath plumed in front of her as the chill of the night surrounded her, holding her in its embrace. She tried to stifle the sound and listened for any signs of someone with her in the woods.

The crack of a branch to her left made her begin to run that way but when she heard a shout to her right she nearly skidded to a stop in the dirt. Whirling around she held herself still, trying to decide which direction she needed to go in.

But all that she could hear were the sounds of the woods themselves; an owl hooting, a squirrel scampering out from behind a tree and the soft breeze that made Beckett shiver and hug herself for warmth though her dress was thick fabric. She turned to her left again but her instinct told her to turn back around and head towards the shout.

Going around the pond and walking she hoped she might be able to hear something that time besides her heels pounding on the ground. But all that came to her was silence yet again and she began to feel she was on a fool's errand, pausing in mid step and wondering if she should turn around and get some help for them both.

As that thought ran through her mind Beckett heard a sudden yell and that time there was no mistaking it. "Rick!" she called to him.

"Kate! Help!" Castle yelled back to her.

Hearing in his tone a struggle Beckett realized that he had found who they'd been searching the grounds for and she took off at a run again through the trees and to her husband's voice. She had no idea how far away from her that he was but she pushed on even as she felt like the trees were beginning to close on her in the dark. Just as she was sure she was getting close something grabbed her skirt and she stumbled, turning to fight them off.

As she looked at them Beckett was able to see in the light of the moon that it was only an overgrown shrub, the branches snagging on her dress. She broke them off and stood up before she ran right into someone. "Rick, god, where is he?" she asked when she quickly realized it was her husband as he grabbed her.

"I don know he 'it me and got away," Castle said, holding a handkerchief up to his nose with his free hand.

"Wait you're not going to be any good with that," Beckett said, taking over to try and stem his bloody nose. Luckily he hadn't been hit too hard and she was able to pull the handkerchief away from him soon after. "Which way did he go?" she then asked. When he winced and wouldn't look at her she said, "You didn't see?"

"I was almost bludgeoned, what did you want me to do?" Castle asked in protest.

Sighing Beckett said, "At least show me where you were."

Looking around the woods, Castle shook his head saying, "I'd be lucky to find it in the day. But I was walking this way."

Letting him take her hand Beckett followed him while she was still trying to listen for anything unusual. And with the way her husband sounded like he was barely breathing she had a feeling that he was too. They eventually came to a clearing and the clouds cleared in front of the moon just long enough for her to spy something in the dirt. "You were here," she said, pointing out the blood to him.

"I was," Castle said, frowning slightly as he then looked around. "I think he would have taken the more difficult path, likely to confuse us."

"We probably should split up," Beckett said, going over to another path she could see that wasn't exactly easily navigable.

"You want-" Castle started to say before he was abruptly cut off.

"Hey!" Beckett yelled, seeing her husband being dragged off by a figure that had suddenly come up running to them. She raced after them but since the figure was taking the more overgrown path her pace was impeded by the branches in her way. She had no clue why Castle wasn't fighting against his kidnapper and as the two got further and further ahead of her she had a sickening feeling in her chest that he had been injured. So it was a surprise when she ran into a clearing and nearly into her husband who was standing rigid; grabbing him by the arm before she turned to the attacker in front of them.

The near silence of the night took over the woods once more until it was broken by a yell, a shot echoing against the trees that swayed in the cool October wind before everything was still once more.


	2. Lurking In The Dark

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If anyone wants to see the costumes that Castle and Beckett will be wearing I'd recommend searching 'Maria and Derek Quickstep' in a search engine image search. But the best place to see them is the actual dance, lol, which can be found on YouTube, just search the same phrase as above (though of course Beckett's dress is different in color).
> 
> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Thriller which was sung by Michael Jackson and written by Rod Temperton, from Michael Jackson's album of the same name.

One week earlier…  
"Who's ready to get some pumpkins?" Castle asked as he looked at the girls.

"Me! But you said Daddy," Eliza told him, looking up at him in confusion.

"She's right, I'm sure we all said we're ready to get a pumpkin," Beckett told her husband as she reached out her hand to the girls. When neither of them took it she gave a mock suffering sigh and told them, "Alright but don't go so far ahead of us we won't be able to see you." When Julia and Eliza took each other's hands and then hurried ahead of them she looked at her husband.

"Hey this is the age when they're going to love Halloween," Castle said in defense.

"I think you've excited them a little too much about it though," Beckett replied though she was smiling as they walked hand in hand after their daughters.

"Slightly?" Castle asked hopefully. He laughed when she shook her head and said, "You're serious about four pumpkins?"

"I am though if you want to be cute get-" Beckett started to say.

"A smaller pumpkin like this for Macca?" Castle said. When she sighed; a small smile turning up the corners of her lips; he leaned over and kissed her cheek before they came up to their daughters. "What do you think?" he asked them as they looked over at her. "For Macca."

"Is that going to be hard to carve?" Julia asked.

"We have paint, we can make it look like… whatever you want," Beckett said.

"Can you put a raven?" Julia asked in excitement. She then started to recite saying, " _Open here I flung the shutter, when, with many a flirt and flutter, in there stepped a stately raven of the saintly days of yore_."

"She's good," Castle said, looking at his wife.

"Because you've told them the story so many times before," Beckett replied though she was smiling at them. "I'm sure if Eliza could say the more difficult words she'd give us a few lines herself."

"Yeah I like the birdie," the toddler said, turning from the orange vegetables to them. "Never… more," she said carefully.

"Perfect," Castle said, giving her a high five though he had to bend down for her to be able to reach. "Okay so we have four other pumpkins to get and I hope you all have ideas for what you want on them. That way I can get stencils for them."

"But the raven?" Julia asked.

"I should be able to get a stencil for it," Castle promised. "Should we split up?"

"I think we can stick together," Beckett commented as their daughters set off ahead of them once more.

"We need to," Castle said. When his wife nodded he looked up at the sky and called to the girls, "Don't take too long it might start raining."

"You're just hoping it will," Beckett said absently as she was trying to find a pumpkin. "You don't want to have to rake the leaves."

"It's a Saturday…" Castle started to say before she glanced at him. "Oh fine but I'm still going to have the girls help."

"They want to; you said you'd give them a little more in their allowance," Beckett said. "Though really you're going to give Eliza her first allowance payment I guess."

"No harm in teaching her now to earn her money… though we're keeping it for her," Castle said. "Oh… Eliza, sweetheart," he said, trying to be serious but laughing as she was hugging a huge pumpkin in front of them. "I think we should have said that you need to get one that we can carry, not need a forklift and truck to take home."  
"I tried to tell her," Julia said, watching as he then tried to get her sister to let go of the pumpkin. She giggled as Beckett laughed while they watched the two playfully wave their hands at each other as if they would start a slap fight.

"Okay you two," Beckett said shortly after as she couldn't let them continue that for too long. "Now you know Eliza."

"Yeah… not a big one," the toddler said though she playfully pouted. "I wanna play with it."

"A play house, we could use those for chairs," Julia translated as they walked down the path on either side of their parents, holding their hands, indicating hay bales.

"But eventually it'd go bad," Castle pointed out. "But do you want a playhouse?"

"A pumpkin playhouse," Eliza said.

"I think that's a no," Castle told his wife.

"When is Christmas?" the toddler then asked.

"A little early to ask about that," Beckett said. "But about two months still."

"And Halloween is only eleven days away, right?" Julia said proudly before she then looked to her mother to make sure of that.

"It is so you should be more excited about that," Beckett told them teasingly.

"Candy!" the girls cried at the same time.

"Not for that reason," Beckett said laughing as Castle next to her was laughing hard at their exuberance. "I found my pumpkin," she then called to the others, letting go of her husband's hand and walking over to the side with Eliza whose hand she was holding.

"Nice," Castle said, going over and seeing the brightly orange colored vegetable. He picked it up as Eliza slapped the side of it and looked around it, seeing where he would carve whatever his wife chose as a stencil. "Yeah this is good," he said to the others who were watching him. "So I think we should keep going, three more to go."

"What about Gram?" Julia asked suddenly.

"I asked, she said stick with four," Castle answered before they were watching Eliza rush ahead of them. "And we might have the third pumpkin," he said.

Going after the toddler Beckett saw that she was hugging another pumpkin tightly, that one taller than it was wide. "Are you sure?" she asked with a smile.

"Yeah it is a good pumpkin," Eliza pronounced firmly and slowly.

"I think it is but when you pick what you want on it you need to make sure that it's a tall pattern," Beckett warned her.

"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding. She then looked thoughtful and as her father and sister were studying her choice and said, "Help me pick?"

"All of us?" Julia asked, looking at her. When she nodded she said, "We will but when?"

"We have a lot of time for that," Beckett said, ushering the girls down again. "You two need to pick out yours," she told Castle and Julia.

"We'll find it don't worry," he told her.

"Can we go into that maze that was at the front Daddy?" Julia asked.

"Sure," Castle replied, glancing at Beckett and wondering why their oldest hadn't asked her as well. "It won't take too long to go through… I think."

"We'll all go after we pay and these are in the car," Beckett said, watching Julia who'd stopped listening to them and was climbing over a bale of hay. "Wait for us," she told her then as they followed her.

"Sorry but I wanted to see it before I said anything," the little girl replied. "This is mine," she said.

Taking it from her and turning it around in his hands Castle nodded and said, "This'll work out well. You're sure?" When Julia indicated that she was he put the pumpkin into one of the two baskets he and Beckett had grabbed from the front of the pumpkin patch. "So it's my turn isn't it?" he asked the others.

"Are you cold you two?" Beckett asked the girls. When they shrugged she glanced at her husband and said, "There's no rush but…"

"Don't worry I think I'm close to finding it, I can feel it," Castle replied.

Beckett shook her head as he took the girls ahead of her and told them why each one wasn't going to work until he suddenly stopped. "Please tell me you found it," she told him.

"Yep, this," Castle said, holding up a slightly lighter orange pumpkin. "What do we all think?"

"You have to pick Daddy," Eliza told him, looking up at the pumpkin at the same time.

"True but we're going to have a little family of pumpkins outside the house for the party, they need to look good," Castle replied.

"Rick put your pumpkin in the basket, it's perfect," Beckett said.

"Right so let's go so we can have a tour of the maze," Castle told them. He set the pumpkin in the other basket and he and Beckett took them and the girls over to the registers to pay.

"Will they be okay there?" Julia asked as she and Eliza were watching their pumpkins being loaded into the back seat by their parents.

"You'll be able to watch them," Beckett replied. "And we won't be driving like maniacs will we?"

"I think you should drive," Castle said simply and quickly.

Smiling Beckett said, "Let's go."

Taking the girls back inside Castle let his wife go ahead with Eliza, watching as Julia went ahead to join them. Since it wasn't really much of a corn maze he couldn't help it and took a deliberate turn to the left into what he'd been easily able to see was a dead end. "Help, I'm stuck!" he called to the girls who were nearly at the exit with Beckett.

"Do we have to go get?" Eliza asked her sister.

"I think you should," Beckett said wryly as she knew what Castle was doing.

Letting go of their mother's hands Julia led her little sister back through the maze until they reached their father. "Come this way Daddy," they both said at the same time.

"Oh thank goodness I thought I was going to be stuck inside that forever and I'd miss Halloween," Castle said to them before he picked up Eliza who was jumping up against him. "They saved me," he said to his wife when they reached her.

Beckett tried her best not to smile at how sincere his tone was; as he had been a good deal taller than the maze; and said, "I'm glad they did, time to head home."

"That was fun," Eliza said as they walked back to the car.

"I know I wish it wasn't just once a year," Julia said, smiling up at her parents at that.

"That's what makes it so special," Castle pointed out, setting Eliza down so she could climb into the back of the car. "That it is once a year."

"We'll come next year right?" Julia asked as she sat and put on her seatbelt.

"Of course," Beckett replied, smiling at her before closing the door. She took the keys from her husband and said, "Not bad this year."

"We'll see how it goes when the time comes to carve the bigger ones," Castle said simply. "And now time for the girls and I to get to work."

Smiling slightly Beckett walked around the car and into the driver's seat before she took them back home; leaving the pumpkin patch that was close to the Hamptons behind.

* * *

"We are all done," Castle said, looking around the tree in the front yard. "So now comes the part that's the most fun."

"What Daddy?" Eliza asked, turning to him.

"Take my hands," Castle told them. When they were both holding on he asked, "Ready?" At their nods he counted down and on three they ran and jumped into the pile of leaves that he had raked up, laughing with the girls as they sank in a little. He helped Eliza back up and said, "Fun isn't it?"

"Yeah I went to swim!" the toddler cried out. "Leaves Daddy!" she said as she touched his head where some were.

"So this is what you call raking," a voice said then, making the three stop laughing and turn to them.

"Hi Mommy," Julia said. "We didn't make too much a mess."

"No but you three will be once you get out," Beckett said.

"I think that means we need to go now," Castle told the girls. "Let me get out and I'll take you so we don't make a mess of the pile."

"I can help Rick," Beckett said, smiling at him as she joined him. Reaching over she pulled Eliza out of the leaves while he got Julia. She picked all the red and gold shaded leaves from the toddler, being careful when she pulled them out of her dark brown hair. "Okay you're-" she began to say before she was grabbed and landed in the pile. "Rick!" she said laughingly as Macca was barking and the girls were crying out, leaping into the leaves with them. She sighed and said, "We'll have to do this all over again," before she felt leaves raining down on their heads.

"It's not a pro-" Castle started to say before he cut himself off when he heard a car coming down the driveway as the gate at the end of it opened. "Oh, that'll be Mother."

"Gram!" Eliza cried out happily, trying to get out of the leaves but struggling.

"Hold on," Beckett told her, standing up. She stepped out and then walked with the others to the car that Martha took into the garage.

"Hello darlings," Castle's mother said to them with a smile as the girls hugged her tightly. "I know it's been so long since I've seen you," she told them as she hadn't been able to make it to the Hamptons for a month. "But we'll have a great time while I'm here, not just because it's Halloween."

"Oh! We got pumpkins!" Eliza cried out as Martha was hugging her son and Beckett.

"Your mother and father told me," she replied. "I look forward to seeing them." She looked over the four and then said, "Do you want to go inside to change?" When Beckett looked confused by that she continued telling her, "I have your costume."

"Can we see it?" Julia asked eagerly hearing that.

"No, no you'll see it on Halloween," Martha told them as she watched her son taking her suitcase from the trunk. She then went over to the back of the car, taking out something on a hanger in a garment bag.

When they had made their way inside Beckett followed her mother in law into the master bedroom, taking the hangar and saying, "How did it come out?"

"You'll find out soon enough," Martha said with a nod to the bathroom.

Beckett nodded and then disappeared inside where she began to undress before taking the costume out of its bag. "I should thank you again Martha," she called, standing near the door.

"Which you've done many times already darling," Martha said simply, looking around the room. Though she had been inside the master suite just before her son and daughter in law had been married she hadn't looked around in detail and turning to the fireplace said, "Richard got rid of the anchor?"

"He did," Beckett said in amusement. "About two years… oh, you haven't looked at it for a while," she realized. "We got a little tired of it as it didn't really go with the rest of our room."

"It's more Indian style," Martha commented. "And slightly European as well," she said, taking in the whole room at once. "The clear glass is beautiful; I love the blue pieces that you have."

"The girls insisted there should be some," Beckett answered.

"Yes, beautiful at night I'm sure," Martha murmured. When she heard nothing from her daughter in law she said, "Kate? Are you having difficulties?"

"No," Beckett said, stepping outside then. "This isn't going to work Martha."

"And why not?" Castle's mother said easily, watching her step to the full length mirror that was against the wall next to the closet.

"I… I look like Maria… frighteningly like Maria," Beckett replied, shaking her head.

"She looks similar to you," Martha said to her in a calm tone of voice. "And this dress is not exactly what she wore, believe me I studied it carefully when Julia made the suggestion of it."

"Yes… and I'm not totally like her," Beckett said, touching the bust of the long sleeved dress.

"Is that a problem to you?" Martha asked easily.

"No I'm just saying it makes me look…" Beckett started to say. She sighed and then said, "I'm being ridiculous but there's a part of me, in the back of my mind, that thinks Rick will see me and think of her."

"I can safely assure you my son will see just you. He's seen you for over four years," Martha said with a smile. "Now no more doubts and no more seeing Maria when you look in the mirror. Look at yourself Kate and tell me what you honestly think."

Studying herself in the lighter blue dress that was nearly identical to the one Maria Menounos had worn for her Quickstep on _Dancing with the Stars_ with Derek Hough, Beckett finally had to concede that her mother in law was right. "Okay so I don't look like her since it's blue… and thank you for making the lapels look more like a coat."

"When you said no sequins that was the end result," Martha said, smiling still as she could tell her daughter in law did like the costume. "How is the bodice?"

"Good, I wasn't expecting you to put in the white insert," Beckett said. "Thank you for not making me just wear a bra the same color; like she did on the show."

"I thought it better not to," Martha said simply, adjusting the belt at her daughter in law's waist. "You are wearing this to the party and there will be children of course."  
"Never mind my daughters," Beckett replied with a smile.

"Put on the _beret_ now, let's see how it all looks," Martha urged her.

Placing the hat on her head Beckett took a moment to adjust it and then laughed softly saying, "I can only imagine Rick's reaction to this."

"Oh I think I know what it will be already," Martha said. "Go on and change before he barges in here."

"The door is locked," Beckett said, since her mother in law had done that once they'd entered.

"Still we don't want to take the chance," Martha replied. She and her daughter in law spoke about how she and Castle would be going out that night with the Fosters and their plans. "Really?" she said as Beckett stepped out into the bedroom a short time later. "You're fine with going to a place like that?"

"I am, it'll be fun," she replied. "Especially seeing your son screaming like a little girl."

Martha laughed slightly at that and waited for Beckett to hang her costume in the closet before they went downstairs to the kitchen where Castle and the girls were looking at four pumpkins set on the island. "Are those your selections?" she asked.

"Yeah do you like them Gram?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"I do, it will be wonderful seeing them carved," Martha said.

"That's not until next week, Daddy said," Julia told her. "So does the costume fit?"

"It does and don't worry you'll see it later," Beckett said, though she was looking at her husband. As he began to speak with his mother she eyed him as she had to wonder at his future reaction to her costume. The neckline was low and the bodice tight enough to press her breasts up, which she guessed the dress on the show would have done had it been one piece. She shook herself of her thoughts and turned her attention to the girls who were talking to their grandmother about school.

"What time are they coming over?" Castle asked, taking his phone out of his pocket then as he felt it shaking.

"At four," Beckett said with a smile. "I know you want to go but it'll be time soon enough."

Looking at the screen Castle said to the others, "Anyone feel like talking to Alexis now?" using a nonchalant tone. He shared a laugh with Beckett and his mother as the girls clamored to tell him that they did. "Okay we'll go ahead and call her," he said to calm them down. "But remember she's at White Mount for the Samhain party so she probably can't talk for too long."

"It's seven isn't it?" Martha asked.

"It is, so I guess it's starting later," Castle said while they entered the family room. He quickly got the TV ready and when the screen changed to his daughter he said, "Hello Janis."

"Ah, so you can tell who I am," Alexis said with a laugh.

"Who is that?" Eliza asked, waving to her sister with Julia.

"She was a singer," Alexis replied. "But I like the costume, it's groovy."

"Gear too," Julia said before she giggled softly. "You look a lot like her but I hope you'll take the wig off after."

"I will, don't worry," Alexis promised. "So I saw some pictures from you guys at the pumpkin patch, looks like you had a great time."

"So much fun," Eliza said.

"And the pumpkins we got are really pretty," Julia added. "I can't wait to get to carve them. Are you gonna carve some too?"

"We will," Alexis replied. "But later when it gets closer to Halloween of course."

"Daddy says that too," Eliza commented.

"I'm not surprised," Alexis said. "So what are you two going to do tonight while your mom and Dad are out?"

"We'll make some cookies," Martha said, smiling at her granddaughters as her two youngest first looked to her before Alexis did as well. "Just a small batch for Sunday dinner tomorrow." She held her hand up to them and said, "I'll tell you later what they'll be."

"Thank you Gram," the girls chorused before they looked back to their sister.

"What are you gonna do?" Julia asked her then.

"Dance, have dinner," Alexis replied. "There might be games since kids will be here but I don't know yet for sure. I'll tell you all about it tomorrow."

"You have to go?" Eliza asked a little sadly.

"I do they're going to have to wait for me if I don't but tomorrow's Sunday so we'll talk for as long as we can okay?" Alexis promised them. "Since I really want to hear about your night."

Beckett wasn't too surprised to see the quick glance that her stepdaughter gave her and Castle and she said, "We'll all tell you about our night tomorrow. For now have a great time at the party."

"Thanks, have a great night yourselves," Alexis replied. "Jules, Lizzy I love you and I'll see you tomorrow," she said to her little sisters, turning to look at them on the screen on her laptop.

"I love you 'lexis," Julia said first.

"I love you too 'lexis," Eliza said with a smile, waving at her.

"Night Dad, Kate, Gram see you tomorrow," Alexis told them, looking past the girls.

"Goodnight darling," Martha called.

"Night sweetheart we'll talk about this party tomorrow," Castle said.

"Say hello to my cousin for me," Beckett said, telling her with that as well to say hello to the whole McCollough family.

"I will, night," Alexis said finally, since she didn't like to say goodbye to the girls. She waved and then turned off the screen before getting up from the desk in her room to head down for the party which was soon about to start.

"Now what do we do?" Julia asked her parents after the TV went dark.

"I need to unpack," Martha said, standing up from the couch. "Girls you don't need to join me, stay with your parents since they're leaving later."

"I would say you should do your homework," Castle said. "But you don't have any do you?"

"No," Julia said with a smile. "Why don't we play outside?"

"With Macca?" Beckett asked. When both girls nodded she smiled and said, "Let's go, I'll tell your grandmother where we're going."

After getting their outer layers on and then a sweater onto Macca the family went out to the backyard where Julia tossed a tennis ball ahead of them for the dog to get. As it took off after it Eliza and Julia followed in a rush until the dog got the ball and they took it from him.

"How does it look?" Castle asked as they stood to watch their daughters for a while.

Smiling at that Beckett playfully squeezed his arm and told him, "You'll find out in a week."

"A week is way too long," Castle replied.

"Anyways all of you know what the dress looks like," Beckett pointed out.

"I'm sure it's not going to look the exact same," Castle protested. When his wife looked at him he said, "Well I am sure."

Sighing Beckett replied, "Why don't we talk about tonight?"

"Not much to say honestly," Castle said, shrugging.

Beckett smiled and said, "You're sure you still want to go? I told you when I eventually agreed to it that I just wanted to try out the experience."

"I've heard this place is huge and since Alexis and I have only gone to places in the city I want to try out the experience too," Castle said, wrapping his arm around her.

"You mean you want to protect me," Beckett said in mock admiration, opening and closing her eyes at him.

"Oh, yikes don't do that," Castle said, pretending to step away from her. He laughed with her and then said as he took her hand, "I don't think I need to do that exactly. Just let me enjoy holding onto you… tight."

" _You can do that easily tonight_ ," Beckett replied simply before the girls approached them. "Are you tired already?" she asked the two, keeping her eye on Macca who was starting to run around them, barking to try and get the tennis ball in her hand.

"No we want you to throw it Mommy," Julia told her. "You can throw a lot better than we can."

"Great point," Castle said, looking at his wife.

Glancing at him Beckett then tossed the ball in the distance and watched as Macca took off after it. "So we'll end up missing two Saturdays with you guys," she told them as they waited for the dog to return to them.

"That's okay," Julia said. "You're going to spend Halloween with us." She then smiled and said, "I can't wait to dress up."

"Good thing your gram got the costumes ready before your mom's," Castle said as he took the tennis ball from Macca, having to wrestle it from him for a moment. He threw it towards the trees to their right and said, "It'll be interesting to see you all dressed up."

"I want to be a Meanie," Eliza said with a smile as she jumped up and down in front of her.

"You'll be Jeremy remember," Beckett reminded her before the toddler giggled and nodded at that. "And Dani and Macca will be the Blue Meanies."

"The good ones. When are they coming over?" Julia asked eagerly.

Looking at her watch Beckett said, "In about an hour," Beckett replied after she looked at her watch. "So we can play for that long."

With that Castle began a game of tag, running after his wife and daughters with Macca trailing him until they needed to go back inside to warm up and for him and Beckett to get ready.

* * *

"Mommy?" Julia asked as she and Eliza were on their parents' bed while they were getting changed into warmer clothes.

"Yes?" Beckett asked, coming out to Castle's side of the bed and setting down a deep green sweater.

"Are you sure you're not going to get scared?" the little girl asked.

"I'm sure," Beckett replied, removing her blouse and then pulling on the tight sweater. She felt Castle behind her, his hands grabbing for her and she laughed softly as he pressed his lips to her neck though her hair was covering it. "Rick," she said in a slightly laughing and slightly warning tone of voice.

"What?" Castle said defensively. He turned her around then to face him and said, "I think I should be able to touch you…"

Eliza covered her mouth with both her hands as her father kissed her mother deeply; looking at Julia to see that she was looking away from them at that point. She then covered her eyes and started to giggle shyly before she then peeked to see if they were finished.

"We're done," Beckett said, reaching up to pull her hair from beneath her sweater. "Finally," she commented, looking at her husband.

"I wasn't kissing you for that long," Castle protested. He smiled when she pushed at him and then said, "We better go to greet your guests tonight," talking to the girls.

"I wish Dani can stay," Eliza said, smiling at her mother who was picking her up.

"She's a little too young for sleepovers," Beckett told her, since Mari was staying the night. "But don't worry, when she's older and if you're friends you can have her over."

"She is my friend Mommy," Eliza said, surprised that her mother would say that.

"Oh well then when she's older," Beckett replied, smiling and kissing the toddler's temple as she nodded firmly. When they reached the bottom of the stairs she wasn't surprised when the gate chime sounded and she went over to it with Castle and Julia, the former opening the door to reveal the Fosters coming up the drive in their car.

Rebecca; after they had greeted each other once they were inside with the door closed on the dropping temperatures behind them; laughed and said, "So I think we're ready, I know Mari's been for a long time now."

Looking over at their daughters Castle wasn't surprised to see that Julia was whispering to her best friend before giggling and nodding as she then took her hand, pulling her over to the kitchen. "So has Julia but we were able to distract her a little."

"We tried our best with that but we had to keep an eye on Dani too," David said. "We were going to try and meet you at the pumpkin patch but she was a little unsettled and we couldn't get her to nap."

"How is she now?" Beckett asked, watching Rebecca hand the baby over to Martha after removing her outer layers.

"She's good but she might not want to sleep until later," Rebecca warned Castle's mother.

"That's more than alright," Martha cooed as she was talking to the baby. "She's gotten so big."

"Almost nine months now," David said proudly.

"We should get going," Beckett said, smiling as she watched the man grab his youngest's hand and kiss it gently.

"We already said goodnight to our girls," Rebecca replied.

"Come here you two," Castle said, motioning for the girls to go over to him. He gathered them in his arms and said, "Listen to your gram and help her a little with Dani or anything else if she asks okay?"

"We will," Julia replied.

Nodding in agreement with her sister Eliza said, "Have fun with Mommy, Daddy. Kiss again."

Beckett covered her mouth with her hand to hide her laughter as the others were doing in response to the toddler's command. When she had gotten control of herself she quickly said, "He will at some point I'm sure sweetie."

"I love you Eliza, Julia," Castle then said to both, not embarrassed in the slightest at what the toddler had said. He hugged them tightly to him and shared a kiss with them both.

"I love you Daddy," Julia said first. "And you have fun too; you can kiss Mommy if you want to."

"Thank you for the permission," Castle said in amusement.

"I love you too," Eliza said, kissing him noisily on the cheek. When their father let them go she hurried with her sister over to their mother who kneeled to take them into her arms. "Love you Mommy!" she exclaimed.

"I love you both too," Beckett replied, smiling as she felt the toddler kiss her cheek. "Your daddy said everything already but one more; please go to bed when your gram says it's time."

"We will," Julia said. "And I love you too Mommy."

Beckett shared a kiss with them before she stood, she and Castle saying goodnight and promising to see them once they returned home. With a quick goodbye to Martha they walked to David's car and once they were on their way said to the couple in the front, "Have you ever gone to this place before?"

"No we've never really done the haunted houses," Rebecca replied. "So this should be interesting."

"Especially since it's more than just the house," Castle said.

"I thought you wanted it to rain?" Beckett asked him.

"When we were raking the leaves," Castle said simply.

"You're going to need to do that soon David," Rebecca told her husband.

"Oh sure, tomorrow…" he said in an absent tone of voice. He laughed when his wife pinched his arm through his thick sweater and said, "It is supposed to rain starting tonight and into tomorrow."

"So I guess we'll need to do the hay ride first," Beckett commented.

"I think so," Rebecca said, turning slightly so she would be able to look at her friend. "Are you as eager as I am?"

"For our husbands to become wimps? Oh sure," Beckett replied. She laughed softly when she saw that Castle was looking at her and David had a frown on his face. "You two honestly think you're so macho you can't get scared?"

"Yes," Castle said defensively.

"Oh come on," Rebecca groaned, though she was smiling a little as her husband was nodding firmly.

"First off that doesn't make you macho, that makes you robots," Beckett said. "And second I have no desire to share my bed with a robot."

"That's our bed," Castle said. When his wife just gave him a look he said, "Okay so we might get startled. But scared? It's doubtful."

"Rick I've seen you scared!" Beckett said, pushing at him as she realized saying that that he was only teasing her. She shook her head as he laughed and said, "Did you guys eat before you came over?"

"We weren't kidding about taking you to the café there," David replied. "But first we need to get through all the spooky stuff before we eat."

"Just drive David," Rebecca said, shaking her head.

Since they had to get off the island and head north in the state, it took nearly two hours before they were pulling into a parking lot outside of what looked to be a farmhouse.

"Wow this place _is_ huge," Castle said. "We took a look at their website when we got the tickets but she wouldn't let me see much besides the basic information," he told David as they got out of the car.

"Rebecca did the same with me," he said in response, shaking his head. "But are you thinking the same as I am?"

"Groping at your wife time?" Castle asked him. He nodded and then felt a hand hitting the back of his head and said, "I think she heard me."

"Of course I heard you! We're both right here," Beckett said in exasperation. "Now come on, we want to get started on that hay ride. Rebecca?" she asked her friend as she linked arms with her and they walked ahead of their husbands.

"She ever banish you to the couch?" David asked. "I mean seriously banished you?"

"No," Castle replied, shaking his head. "You?"

"No," David said. "Luckily they won't do that now… I hope."

"So holding, not groping," Castle said. When his friend nodded they hurried to make up the distance between them and their wives and after they had given their tickets to the compound they put on wristbands and went over to the line for the hay ride. "So we decided," he said as he put his arms around Beckett once they were at the end of the line.

"We could still hear you," Rebecca said in amusement as she allowed David to wrap his arm around her waist. "That we'll allow but you really are going to need to watch it."

"Or else we'll have no choice but to let you sleep in the guest bedrooms at our homes," Beckett said. "We could hear that too," she told the two men who blanched a little.

Before either could respond they were let onto the vehicle, which was on the back of a truck and flat, covered in hay. The two couples sat together in the middle of the left side of the seating area, Castle and David needing to hold onto their wives as the truck bounced continually while they entered the first themed area.

"Oh wonderful, toxic spill," Castle commented to the others at the announcement of a toxic spill occurring in the town in the future. He looked at the set on either side of them and said, "Not badly done-" Before he could say anymore though he was suddenly yelling as someone with a bloody face and a chainsaw that was running jumped at him and Beckett, making him yell loudly as he grabbed his wife.

Beckett was laughing as her husband nearly kicked at the man before they continued and she said, "You weren't going to get scared?"

"I was going to get startled and I did," Castle protested. He then laughed and said, "You didn't protest me grabbing you."

Beckett didn't answer as they slowed down and came to a woman tied to a table with a huge saw above her. She shuddered when she screamed for help as the saw descended and 'cut' her in half, holding onto Castle's arm when they continued.

"Really nice," Castle said. "My mother would say she's got a lot of potential."

"Where are we?" Rebecca said since they had left the mock up of a city and were in open space.

"A chapel," David said when he spotted it first.

"Creepy chapel," Castle said as he watched figures of what he guessed were zombies come out with a coffin in between them. "They're flying."

"I don't think they have legs," Beckett said in response to that. She then gasped as something white flew above them and was grasping onto Castle's arm tighter before she saw there were women swinging around.

Castle decided he didn't really need to speak about the fact that she'd been startled, knowing they would likely have more instances when they would both be reacting to what they saw. "Oh yay clowns," he said to his wife as they reached the next area. He yelled when he saw a clown pop up in front of him, hearing his wife crying out as well. He laughed with her as they watched David next to them trying to block his wife from another clown. He held onto Beckett as they went through the rest of the areas, ending with a headless horseman galloping after them.

At that moment Beckett wasn't all that surprised when she and Castle simply watched the horse, instead of reacting to the fact the man with the sword in hand was getting closer to them. She laughed as they neared where they'd gotten onto the truck and said, "Beautiful horse."

"It was," Castle agreed, nodding. "And apparently we were in danger?" He smiled when his wife laughed softly and then leaned over to share a kiss with her. When they got off the truck he held his arms out to her to help her, holding her for a moment before taking her hand. "So," he began before pausing when he saw that David was doing the same he had with Beckett with his own wife. When the two turned to them he said, "You want to head to the maze or go to the house?"

"We're going to go through the maze," David said. "But you mind if we split up here?"

"I was going to say we should," Castle said.

"Me too," Beckett said as they started to walk over to the maze.

"Yeah better to have a group through the house," Rebecca said. They reached the entrance to the corn maze and said, "Hopefully we'll meet back at the exit," waving to Castle and Beckett as she and her husband disappeared inside.

Hearing a yell shortly after Castle asked his wife, "Think they're counting how many times he gets scared?"

"There'll be way too many to count," Beckett said, holding his hand as they were told to go ahead inside. She pulled her husband to the right as she'd seen the Fosters go to the left of the fork telling him, "I hope you're not expecting us to make out in here."

"No I might run away from you screaming like a little girl because of something," Castle told her. He then jumped and yelled as a man in ripped overalls lunged at them with a broken pitchfork.

"Gotta find my pigs! Have you seen my pigs!" the man was bellowing to them, running after them down the path until they came to another fork.

"Oh man, _Deliverance_ vibe there big time," Castle said as they stopped.

"At least he didn't make us go down one path, we get to choose still," Beckett commented. She glanced around; trying to recall the turn they'd taken at the entrance. "Okay, I think we should go to the left." She was surprised when Castle motioned to that way and said, "You're just going to leave everything up to me?"

"I am," Castle said. "You're good at that."

"I'm not really going to throw you on the couch tonight," Beckett said.

Castle wanted to answer that but she was soon dragging him down the path where they encountered a woman 'barbecuing' body parts who ran after them with a knife. He was laughing breathlessly and said, "If the girls ever want to come with us-"

"They're waiting until they're older," Beckett and Castle said together. She smiled and pulled him to the right fork they'd come to and told him, "I don't think Julia would want to really, maybe Eliza will." When she turned away she froze as there was a man dressed in doctor's scrubs right in front of her and she ducked around him before her husband was running after her. She soon came to a stop, going down a path that she hadn't really chosen, just ran down before turning to her husband and laughing heavily as she put her hands on chest.

"You're amazing and it's a little frightening," Castle told her, taking her hands.

"Why?" Beckett asked with a smile as she eventually calmed down.

"You don't get scared," Castle said.

Smiling slightly Beckett told him, "I do I just don't show it. And that guy really surprised me."

"You can't equate fear with surprise," Castle said. "There's no way they're the same things."

Beckett shook her head then grabbed his arm tightly as all of a sudden someone was jumping out at them and they ran again though she couldn't help calling to him, "I don't think they had a costume!"

"No but it still worked!" Castle said back before they came to a stop.

When they had gone the last three paths they were surprised to find themselves at the exit and before the Fosters. They started to wait, holding hands before Castle pulled his wife closer to him and held her to his side until they saw the two running out with the sound of a chainsaw following them.

"So you two had fun?" Beckett asked as they walked over to them, breathing harshly.

"Definitely got our exercise in there," David said. "Warm now."

"We'll be going to the house so you can take that off there," Rebecca told her husband with a smile. "What did you guys end up being chased by?"

On the way to the farmhouse the four compared their paths through the maze and they had only shared one thing in common the person not dressed scarily, simply jumping out at them. They agreed though that they had had fun and decided to try and return though they hadn't finished with the entire compound.

* * *

"I wish Alexis was here," Castle couldn't help murmur to his wife as they were waiting in line.

"I know she would love it," Beckett replied, rubbing his arm gently.

"How is she doing?" Rebecca asked. "Sorry," she said quickly when they turned to her.

"Not really much of a chance of you not hearing us," Castle replied with a shrug. "And she's doing great, really enjoying her classes though she's working more than she did last year at Columbia."

"She's still steady on her choice?" David asked.

"Oh yeah, she's going for a PhD," Castle replied proudly. At that point they were let into the house and he held his wife's hand as they entered, a little surprised when they gave their coats over to the coat check to find the foyer appeared like a normal home. "Wow, if I were Alexis I would say it's lulling us to believe this house is in fact normal," he said to his wife.

"And you'd be correct," Beckett said as they were then led into a room where there was a large screen above them. Once it was relatively full she couldn't help saying, "It's like the Haunted Mansion."

"Only more grown up," Castle added, feeling her nod next to him. The screen then came on and a man appearing as an early nineteenth century owner of the house spoke of a curse on the family that owned the property when he married a woman who was a succubus.

"I guess he traveled back in time," Beckett murmured to her husband.

When the man on the screen spoke of doing exactly that to 'warn' them to not go through his home Castle said, "You're psychic."

Beckett rolled her eyes but finally they were led into what looked like a living room where a funeral was going on. She held her husband's hand when she saw a woman dressed like a bride at the side of the coffin, leaning against him before the woman turned and she cried out at the same time as Rebecca. Their husbands yelled and then they started to run to the exit of the room since the bride was actually a man, yelling that he was with his wife forever. When they stopped she laughed and said, "Good start."

"A really good one," Castle said with a smile. "Looks like we're going single file here," he said since the hall was narrow. "You can lead the way love," he said.

Looking back at him Beckett tried to glare at him but faced forward as she glanced at the different paintings they passed that were changing. She was waiting for one of them to drop but she had passed one when it did and merely jumped in surprise before she looked back to see her husband yelling as a man in a mask was grabbing for him. She laughed as she had to run so they could get out of the way and then said, "You might want to rethink using me as a shield."

"No I still think I'm protecting you," Castle replied. When she looked at him he smiled at her simply before he wrapped his arms around her as they came into a dining room that was surrounded by mannequins at chairs. When they went around the table, the mannequin sitting at the end of it suddenly jumped up and pushed David out of their cluster as he was yelling.

"Time to eat! Where's my dinner?" the man was growling with a knife in hand.

"Not us!" David yelled back before they began to run again.

It was then that Beckett was crying out when a woman came around the corner, shrieking in a child-like voice for them to come see the meal and laughing manically.

"I don't think I want to go in," Castle said, laughing as he was still holding his wife tightly.

"We don't have a choice," Rebecca said as behind her and David the man from the table was still brandishing the knife.

Inside the kitchen Beckett wrinkled her nose in disgust at the sight of the gore that was all around the blood stained kitchen, more so when a cut up body began to move, the head calling out to them for help. She started rushing through the room at Castle's insistence and they went to a staircase.

"Any chance we can leave?" David asked, having been startled by the woman in the kitchen poking him with a rolling pin and saying she wanted to try a new entrée and needed him for help.

"I don't think so, not unless you want to go back," Castle replied. "And I think I'm okay not doing that."

"How do you know-" Beckett started to say before they were ducking and getting out of the way of a woman swooping down on them, screaming that they were part of the curse too. She laughed in response to her being startled and said, "Now I'm confused which way to go would be better."

"So you're scared?" Castle asked her. He laughed when she shoved at him before heading up the stairs and they came to one bedroom that was made up as a nursery. He went in first that time, telling Beckett, "Hold onto my arm love."

"Why?" she asked suspiciously.

"So I can appear macho while I scream," Castle said before the sound of a voice singing a nursery rhyme was heard. He turned back to the room and saw something standing up on the bed, swallowing a little. They had to walk through the room to get to the next one but he hesitated for a moment before he could feel Beckett pushing him ahead. So though he didn't want to continue he did so and then began to breathe out in relief as he was left alone.

When Beckett walked by the bed, the person covered in white fabric jumped at her asking her to be her mother. She nearly froze then as she could literally feel the blood draining from her face, something about the moment making her think of Julia and making her want to literally leave right away for the first time that night. Luckily she felt her husband taking her into the next room and she managed to calm down a little before holding onto him again, much tighter as they came to a library. When she glanced at him she wasn't surprised when she saw his concerned expression and shook her head at him before they looked around the room

"Well… as long as they're not defaming books…" Castle said, still looking at his wife worriedly. When she shook her head at him a little more firmly he held her close but let the matter drop for the time being before he then saw that the person at the desk was actually moving and when it turned around he let out a loud slight yell of surprise as the man had the flesh of his face falling down onto his coat. He ran with Beckett in hand and they entered a room that was covered in black light objects.

"Okay… acid trip room?" David asked.

"No, camouflage!" Rebecca cried before they were trying to follow the path out of the room while people were coming off the walls and jumping after them.

Going into a bathroom next Castle nearly put his wife ahead of him when he realized there was no one in there. "Huh, weird, they did a tableau of Ophelia," he said to the others as he saw a figurine of a woman in a tub surrounded by flowers.

At that moment the woman jumped up, water dripping off her and growling before she tried to reach for the four with long nails. "Remembrance for my love! Rue the curse!" she yelled before they left her in the room.

"Oh man, that was out of nowhere," David said.

"Again there's a reason for that," Beckett said with a smile as they came into a master bedroom. She held on tightly to her husband's hand as it looked more normal than all of the other rooms. She looked down at the path that was on the floor and saw that they were being led out to the balcony. When they were standing on it she turned with the others as the door they'd walked out of slammed shut. At that moment there was a scream above them and she looked up as two figures appeared on the roof, one strangling the other. When the man was thrown off the edge, she looked after him though couldn't see where the man was landing; but did hear the sound of him impacting with a mat. She looked over at Rebecca but only had a moment to see that the woman was pressing her face against her husband's shoulder before there was a thud.

"Whoa!" Castle said as the 'monster' that had strangled and thrown the man off the roof landed on the balcony in front of him. When it asked in a growling voice if they wanted to go with it and when its hand lit on fire he turned to run through the door that was suddenly opened and they all raced through as it accused them of rejecting it.

When they were back inside the room someone dressed as an angel was there, leading them out and down a flight of stairs before she was grabbed and hauled back up screaming for help.

"Wow what a send off," David said once they were back outside. "That was great."

"They make different rooms every year," Castle said.

"But that basic theme of the family being cursed is the same," Beckett added. "And if that's the family… I think I can see why."

"Okay so with all that running and screaming, I'm starving," Rebecca said. "Well, not after going through that kitchen but I don't want to think about that."

"Neither do I," Beckett said. "But they put on a good show."

"They did," David agreed. "We'll head to the café." He was surprised when Rebecca let go of his hand but allowed her to leave him before Castle walked next to him. He was about to ask what was wrong when his friend just shook his head simply and they continued on ahead of their wives.

"That nursery disturbed you?" Rebecca asked, putting her arm through her friend's.

"It did, I couldn't help think of Julia," Beckett confessed. "That was the only part I got scared on… more disturbed."

"I don't blame you, if it wasn't too late I would call to talk to the girls but… they should be in bed now," Rebecca said.

Beckett nodded in agreement before she said, "We'll see them at home luckily." She smiled at her friend when she agreed eagerly with her and then let her go since they'd reached the car. She got in the back and once Castle had joined her she leaned against him, wanting to show him in that gesture that she was okay as she knew he had to be worried. So the drive to the café was quiet and she appreciated the peace of the small restaurant that was largely empty by then as they were seated at a table in the far corner on their own where they soon began to look over the menu.

Finally Castle broke the silence saying, "I was glad to see that we weren't the oldest people there."

"I was a little surprised to see the kids there as young as they were," Rebecca said. "They couldn't have been much older than Julia."

"We were talking about that too," Beckett said. "And since she doesn't like being scared we're not taking her until she's a little older if she wants to go then."

"And yet she watches _Ghost Adventures_ ," David commented.

"That doesn't scare her," Beckett replied, looking at her husband.

"She's brave," Castle said at first. "And then I'm going to point out that she believes that there is another world."

"She takes after him of course," Beckett said with a sigh. "Don't," she said quickly to him when she saw that Castle was opening his mouth to speak again. "Do not bring up the vaults."

"Kate," Rebecca said. When her friend looked at her she said, "Don't you think there might be something that happened there?"

"No it was probably from being underground," Beckett said simply, trying to not sound too annoyed at her. "And I passed out for a moment."

"So any room you particularly liked at the house?" David asked, sensing the need for a change in subject.

"We didn't get much of a chance to look before we were chased into the next one," Castle replied. "And it was a little dim… actually I think I'd have to commend them for not having every last inch in darkness. It made it creepier not being able to make out what was going on in the rooms but seeing something."

"I know since you couldn't tell if the people were real or just mannequins," Rebecca said. "The living room was nice."

"I liked the bathroom, just because that came out of left field," David said. "You'll have to tell your mom about it Rick."

"I might have to," Castle said. He looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, "I might have to vote for the library."

"So would I," Beckett said.

"See, she does too," Castle said jokingly, nodding to his wife. He laughed a little when she pushed him gently away from her and they had to order then so he couldn't continue. But once they were alone again he said, "You noticed the book knife too?"

"Of course, it was studded with gems… probably fake but still, hard to miss," Beckett answered.

"Book knife?" David asked.

"Yeah in the old days of books… way back when," Castle said, waving his hand behind his shoulder for emphasis. "The pages would stick together so there would be book knives that you could slide between them, cutting them apart. The strange thing about that-" he started to say.

"Yeah the knives weren't that sharp… which makes it creepy he was able to flay his own skin," Beckett said. She then looked at Rebecca and said to her slightly disgusted face, "Sorry."

"No you two are used to that sort of thing," the woman replied.

"Not that kind of thing," Castle said, laughing with the others. They were served glasses of wine and he picked his up saying, "To next week and our Halloween party."

"Cheers," David said as they were all tapping glasses together.

"To us finally getting to this B&B you two love to go to," Rebecca commented.

"This'll only be our… third time going," Beckett said. "But it is nice."

"I just feel bad leaving the girls for another Saturday," Rebecca then said.

"I said the same to our girls," Beckett said with a smile. "But they'll have fun still, your parents and his mother will make sure of that."

"They're still going to the fair right?" David asked the others.

"That's the plan," Castle replied. "So we'll have to call Julia and Eliza early love, make sure we can hear what they get up to there because they're going to want to tell us," he said to his wife.

"I know," Beckett said in reply. She had to pause then as their food was served to them but once they'd started to eat she said, "Are you two going to tell us your costumes?"

"Not if you're not saying anything to us," Rebecca replied easily. "But it's going to be interesting seeing your handmade costume."

"That was Julia's insistence… then Eliza's… then Martha's and last…" Beckett said before trailing off and nodding to her husband next to her.

"Hey you know how long it took me to see you in a costume on Halloween? And no that frog thing bursting out of your body doesn't count," Castle said.

"Scared you though," Beckett said with a slight smirk before sipping at her wine. She laughed when her husband tried to pinch her side but she quickly put a stop to that and instead leaned over to share a brief kiss with him. "So you two are alright?" she said with a slight smile as they looked across the table to David and Rebecca who seemed to be inordinately focused on their plates.  
"Food's good," David responded first.

"And if you're asking about us ourselves then we're fine," Rebecca replied. "You two?"

"Sure, great," Castle said with a shrug.

Shaking her head Beckett took a bite of her _crêpe_ before saying, "Do you ever show affection between yourselves in front of your girls?"

"Oh sure, we figure hiding it might not be the best for Mari and eventually Dani," David answered.

"But we're careful, I'm hoping you two are," Rebecca said. When Castle and Beckett just gave her a look she laughed and then said, "I know how you two are," looking closely at her friend. "But I would imagine you're not so expressive that the girls would be disgusted."

"We're able to restrain ourselves," Castle commented. "But it does embarrass them a little if we kiss for too long."

"Then great, we're showing our daughters the best way to act with their husbands," Rebecca said. "Though that's going to be a long time in the future."

"It better," Castle said, glancing at his wife. He wasn't surprised to see her looking very unsure about their friend's comment about husbands and he leaned over to murmur into her ear before they went back to eating.

After they had finished the four went back to the car and back home, pulling up to it just as it was starting to rain.

Running under the porch Castle said to the two, "You want to pull into the garage? I can pull out for you."

"No we have an umbrella," David said, showing it to them. "And it'll cover us. Let's go see them."

Smiling at Beckett as they let their husbands go in first; Castle needing to open the door; Rebecca said, "He gets concerned."

"So does Rick," Beckett said simply before they went inside and she closed the door behind them.

"Well how was it?" Martha was asking her son and David as she left the family room where she had been reading while keeping an eye on Dani.

"A lot of fun and very scary," Rebecca said with a smile as she watched her husband rushing over to the room.

"David would agree I'm sure," Castle said as they watched him go. "How were the girls?"

"They did great," Martha replied. "For a time they wanted to play house, while I was cleaning up from dinner."

"Eliza and Dani were their kids?" Beckett asked as they walked to the doorway to the family room.

"They were, they had quite a lot of fun and I allowed them to play it until I had to put Eliza and Dani to bed. So we never made those cookies," Martha said, watching as Rebecca went to her husband and slapped him away so she could pick their baby daughter up from the bassinet they'd brought over. "And after Julia and Mari went into the living room so she could practice her Foxtrot."

"Together?" David asked softly, looking over at her from Dani.

"I filmed it with my phone, I will send it to you but I can show you two once they go so we won't wake up the baby," Martha replied.

After handing Dani to Castle's mother Rebecca and David joined Castle and Beckett as they went up to see their daughters, all of them heading to Julia's room first. The girls were asleep and they took turns kissing their daughters before they stepped out of the room.

"Aren't you going to see Eliza?" Rebecca asked as she and her husband went to the stairs and found Castle and Beckett had followed them.

"After you go," Beckett replied. "You should get Dani back to her bed."

Nodding Rebecca let her husband take her hand before they went down the stairs and to where Martha was sitting with the baby on her lap. "Thank you so much Martha," she told the woman, taking her baby. She kissed her daughter gently as she was asleep still and said, "For everything tonight and that includes Mari as well."

"You're very welcome, it was interesting to watch them play with her," Castle's mother said, nodding to the baby.

"Thank you for tonight," Rebecca said, smiling at Beckett as she was rubbing her daughter's back gently and murmuring a goodnight to her.

"You're welcome, thanks for coming and letting us not feel weird about freaking out like we ended up doing," Castle commented.

With some laughter they exchanged goodnights and goodbyes as David and Rebecca went out to their car through the rain while Castle and Beckett watched them on the porch.

"Are you two heading to bed?" Martha asked.

"Yeah we're going to need to keep them occupied tomorrow before they come back for lunch," Castle answered, gesturing to the door. "So obviously we'll need some rest as well."

"Then goodnight, I hope you really did enjoy yourselves. And we'll watch Julia and Mari dance tomorrow," Martha said as they went to the bottom of the stairs.

"We did, night Martha," Beckett replied. After her husband had said goodnight to his mother she turned to him and said, "Should we say goodnight to the girls?"

"I think they came to say goodnight to us," Castle replied, glancing upwards past her.

Turning around Beckett smiled and said, "Did we wake you up?"

"No but did you come in to see us?" Julia asked. "David and Rebecca too."

"Yeah they just left to get your sister back home Mari," Castle told the little girl.

"Oh, is she gonna get wet?" Mari asked a little worriedly.

"No they had an umbrella," Beckett said as she went up the stairs ahead of her husband. She hugged Julia tightly before put her hands on their shoulders and directed them to the little girl's room. "Get into bed for us while we check on Eliza?" she asked the girls.

"Okay," Julia said, taking her friend's hand before they walked inside to her bed.

Following Beckett inside their youngest's room Castle wasn't surprised to see that by then she had the sheets twisted around her and they quickly put them back before he pressed his lips against the toddler's forehead. After murmuring to her that he loved her he stepped back for Beckett to say goodnight to her.

Tucking in Eliza more firmly then Beckett smiled as their youngest seemed to be moving her lips before she settled down. She leaned over and gently pressed a kiss to her forehead, whispering an I love you as well before standing and leaving the room with Castle. After he had closed the door behind them she took his hand, leading him to Julia's room where they saw that the two there on the bed had fallen asleep while waiting for them. Sharing a smile with her husband she moved to tuck them in and then allowed Castle to kiss their oldest goodnight.

After Beckett had done the same, and they were sure the two would be warm since they could hear the rain against the window, Castle took her hand and they went out into the hall leaving the door open. He took her over to the top of the stairs and said, "I'll be right back."

Beckett didn't have a chance to respond to that as her husband was soon going down and she sighed at his abrupt departure before she went to their room. She toyed with the idea of changing into her pajamas for a moment before deciding to wait for Castle. So she went to the windows standing at one and looking out on the storm, seeing lightning ahead in the ocean. When she heard the door close and then lock behind her she said, "Why?"

"Well if you had turned to me you would see," Castle replied before he reached her. "Here," he told her as she turned to him and then spotted the glass he was holding. "Don't, don't protest," he said as she opened her mouth to do so. "You're still a little… not pale but I can see this becoming a problem."

"I'm fine," Beckett said even as she was taking the glass of scotch. "I know the girls are fine, I was just unsettled."

"Me too, that was a little disturbing," Castle said.

"Have you ever wondered why I was so quickly a mother to her?" Beckett asked after she'd taken a sip of the drink and shuddered slightly.

"I've thought of it but I always guessed it was because she touched off that maternal instinct in you," Castle said, taking the glass from her and rapidly finishing off the rest of the liquid inside. He took her hand as he led her over to the bed, setting the empty glass down on his nightstand before he turned to her. "That's not it?" he asked, seeing the expression on her face.

"Not the only one," Beckett replied. "When she ran out and hugged me… I felt that with it Julia was asking me to be her mother. I don't think that was her intention; likely she was scared; but it's what I felt and… the person in the nursery just reminded me of her later in Queens, so scared with me unable to help her." She sighed and then shook her head telling her husband, "But while the memory was unpleasant I reminded myself very quickly that she's alright. Julia has a mother and father who love her and we will keep her safe. And seeing her just now with her friend…"

Castle couldn't help smile at the sight of the one on his wife's face and he said, "You've done-"

"We've done," Beckett said, cutting him off with her vehement tone. She let go of his hand to press her own to his chest saying, "We've done so much for her Rick and now she's just a little girl growing up with a family that adores her."

Nodding then as he realized with that that she wasn't kidding about their daughter being okay Castle leaned down and gently kissed her before they parted. "What would you like to do now?" he asked.

"Well," Beckett said, moving her arms to wrap them around his neck. She smirked and said, "I'd like to see if we can't challenge ourselves again."

"Oh?" Castle asked, surprised since it had been a month since they'd done that last. When she didn't answer him he then asked, "Then what've you got in mind Kate?"

"We've played with the number three… what do you say we bump that up to four?" Beckett asked him.

Pretending to look like he was seriously considering that Castle then said, "I've thought your challenge over and I accept. Now the problem becomes how are you going to even walk in the morning?"

Studying him Beckett stepped away before reaching for the bottom of her sweater and pulling it off without a word. She had to step further away from him then as he tried to get close to her and she then removed her jeans, tossing them haphazardly before she jumped up on the bed, watching him with a slightly raised eyebrow.

Trying not to suck in a breath of air too loudly Castle hurriedly undid the buttons of his shirt before taking that off and leaving it to fall on top of her sweater. He started to unbutton the fly of his jeans when he paused and then went to the fireplace, lighting it before he went to the bed. He finished with his jeans and not unencumbered too heavily by clothing he climbed onto the bed with his wife. "You want me?" he asked her after he eyed her body hungrily.

"As much as you want me," Beckett told him with a smile on her face as she reached up to cup his cheek. Since he was pressed so close to her she could easily feel the bulge of his erection and she glanced down between them briefly before looking up at him. "Maybe not as much," she said teasingly.

"Oh we're about even in that my love," Castle said simply before he leaned down and kissed her deeply on the lips. He kept that up for as long as he could until he was slowly pulling away from her to look into her eyes. "Tell me what you want Kate," he told her a little demandingly.

Feeling the control of that moment going to him Beckett realized what she wanted and she let any power she might have had go to him willingly. Since he was still watching her for her answer she then told him, "I want you to fuck me Rick. However you want, just make me come before you do."

"Anything I want?" Castle asked her. At her slight hesitation he couldn't help smile before he leaned down, kissing her lovingly on the lips. He used that to assure her that he wouldn't take advantage of what she had allowed him but that he was also grateful to her for what she was giving him as well. When he pulled away he said to her, "You'll enjoy it."

"I usually do," Beckett said with a slight smile. She sat up then when her husband had her do so, watching him prop up pillows behind her before she leaned back and watched him gently cup her breasts through her bra. Her heart started to beat a little harder as he leaned down, brushing his lips against the swell of each mound before she shifted a little below him.

Pulling back Castle smiled at her and captured her lips, giving her a deeper kiss before they gently moved away at the same time. His expression was somber at that moment and he helped her sit up again before he reached behind her. Exposing her back, he indulged in a few moments of running his fingers over her skin before moving back and wondered when exactly she'd removed her bra. "You can't wait?" he asked her while he helped her lay back carefully.

"How can you?" Beckett shot back. She couldn't take it anymore and she reached for his hips. She was slightly surprised when he allowed her to remove his boxers but then understood why he had done that as she was naked very shortly after him. " _I need you_ ," she told him ardently as she watched him run his fingers over her thighs gently.

" _So do I_ ," Castle said before he turned his attention to her. He leaned down to kiss her and then placed her legs around his waist before together they scrambled a little to get him inside of her. It took some effort since they were otherwise engaged but finally he was sinking smoothly inside of her body. Their kiss ended there as they were both exhaling pleasure at the sensation since they were both heavily aroused. He was ecstatic that his wife was so desirous but he began to move carefully inside of her, watching her closely as he did so. Seeing her shock he started to kiss at her shoulders and then breasts before murmuring, " _Remember love_."

At that near command Beckett instantly recalled the first time she and her husband had been together and knew he was trying to recreate that. But she knew that he wasn't about to ignore her request for him to fuck her and she waited, moving at his pace before they were meeting again in a kiss. There was little surprise when he started to thrust harder inside of her and she kept her eyes closed tightly even when he pulled away from her gently. His lips against her neck and his body moving against her harder she was left to cling to him. She was using that in an attempt to try and distract herself from the pleasure that she was feeling. She whispered to her husband after some time had passed and they were fully fucking one another.

Pausing for a brief second Castle pulled away from her and said, "You're sure?"

"I…" Beckett started to say before she glanced away from him.

"Already," Castle said in slight amusement. Before she could reply he helped her lay flat on the bed. He then rolled her onto her side as he followed her and they lay there together, not moving, only kissing as deeply as they could.

After some time of that Beckett began to flex her muscles around him, watching her husband closing his eyes tightly immediately in reaction. She found her breathing starting to increase as well, as doing what she was allowed her to feel how aroused exactly he was. She stroked his face with one hand before they were moving again and she couldn't help smirk at him in the instant she had before Castle proceeded to move in her again. Luckily that time he was rough right away and she wrapped her legs tightly around his waist to encourage him. It seemed to and she was left moaning deeply as he was trying to somehow move her hips up and angle his body down. The feeling of him constantly moving along with how hard he was was making her body heat rise steadily before she was pursing her lips to kiss her husband back as he took hers with his own. When he pulled away some time later she whispered, "You're… don't move me from where I am right… now," her voice thick with pleasure.

Shuddering heavily in response to her tone Castle moved down to nip at her pulse before flicking his tongue out to soothe her skin. "You're sure?" he said. When she nodded in response he moved so their foreheads were pressed together and told her, their lips brushing, "Then… you're going to ride me."

"After," Beckett promised him before they slipped easily into a kiss since they were so close.

Feeling his wife's arms wrapping tightly around him Castle took that as encouragement to move faster though he was going as fast as he could already. But before he could give up he then moved his legs to lunge them against her and found a slight burst of speed there. It wasn't much but as Beckett began to cry out in joy at him he focused entirely on her obvious satisfaction. The fact that he was feeling an intense pleasure in the form of pure electricity where he was surrounded by her made him try not to take too much notice; though it was difficult to ignore as it was steadily spreading through his entire body.

Her hands on the back of her husband's head Beckett watched him with bated breath as he moved from her neck to her chest, kissing everywhere he could on the way. She was already on fire from his touch beforehand but when his mouth carefully surrounded her nipple she was crying out and trying not to hold onto him too tightly with her hands. She was jolted from the sensations she was already feeling with that added one and found herself struggling to try and cope with the new addition to the multitude. "Rick… please… slower," she begged him, thinking that would help.  
Castle was startled at that but he could tell by the tone of her voice that she was serious so he did just as she asked though it nearly became torture for himself. After a few seconds at the less intense pace though he was finding himself enjoying it, as it allowed him to feel his wife a bit more easily. He went back to her breasts; as he'd been interrupted from them at her request; and then focused on working his way back up to his rhythm before she'd spoken. He was careful to take his time and suddenly realized how much he liked doing that that it took little time for him to slow down yet again at his own choice.

The two became lost in one another as they were enjoying their varying rhythms together and Beckett urged Castle in them as she kissed at him when she could. Their hands were all over each other, though he could only use one, and they felt the heat in their joined bodies broken when their skin reacted in pleasure to the caressing motions they always naturally seemed to make. They lost all track of time; loving that they were doing so; and were so rough to each other for so long eventually that they forgot they had taken to slowing down. By then they were past the point of being able to slow or stop, their bodies taking control of them as they needed completion.

When that thought came to him Castle looked down at his wife as he was using both his hands for support and leverage against her and he said, "You're going to fuck me next Kate and I will make you beg me for that."

"You won't… you want to make me remember you… even tomorrow… every step I take…" Beckett breathed, doing everything she could to try and withstand him for just a bit longer but finding that was next to impossible. "Then you take me and screw me until I'm screaming at you to let me go." It was with that and the images her own words conjured up that she broke, giving herself over to the sensation that was beckoning her rapidly. She dug her nails into Castle's back, her heels against his ass as she cried out arching her back so far she was nearly against his chest for a moment. She forgot the need to have a steady rhythm with him, only feeling when he lost it and began to climax within her. She wasn't sure why she did it but she parted her legs as far as they would go; trying to take all that she could within her that was a part of him. She had no idea when she stopped moving, only the lassitude in her limbs that made her wonder how she could hold onto him as she was still doing.

After a couple faster thrusts into his wife Castle had to support himself by his arms to keep from laying directly on her. He was breathing hard, his body still throbbing in the aftermath of his pleasure, but he only took a couple minutes before he was moving. He wasn't surprised at his wife's cry of surprise when he flipped them around and said, "I think we can get four in… easily," as he sat up at her insistence.

"You would," Beckett replied, wrapping her arms loosely around his neck. She leaned over and kissed him gently before pulling away saying, "You're ready."

"That surprises…" Castle started to say before he trailed off and just stopped as she had begun to roll her hips around him. He groaned heavily in pleasure and said, "How are you?"

"Because… I've been moving this entire time," Beckett breathed out in joy at the feel of him rubbing against her.

"Vixen," Castle said, putting his hands more firmly on her back and pulling her up against his chest. He felt her begin to move up and down as they were kissing passionately and he was compelled to move with her. Though he wasn't able to do so that well they were both breathing out harshly in response to their slapping hips. Since they had parted he began to kiss at her neck, groaning as she had begun flexing her muscles around him at the same time. "Kate," he breathed, pulling away from her and then looking into her eyes deeply.

Tilting her head to the side as her husband kissed at the side of her neck Beckett soon felt his hands moving down to her ass and as he grasped at it a little tightly she slowed down slightly for him. Her back arched when he moved back up to feel the way her hips flared before grasping her again. "You can," she murmured. She smiled for an instant as he looked up at her in surprise and leaned down slightly to brush her lips to his. When she was sitting back up he was slapping at her ass and she was leaning her head back hard as the shock of his rough touch was swift to run through every inch of her. After he'd done that once more she began to move again and said, "Don't forget." When he grasped her tightly for a moment she kissed him and felt his response to her comment in the way that he held her tightly. She felt a sudden rush of excitement go through her and she moved even faster against him, wanting to get to that point.

Castle did his best to allow his wife a little more time on top of him but he could tell that she was waiting for him to take over again. So when he felt things had gone on that way for long enough he made her stop before flipping her over onto the bed on her back. He thrust a number of times that way before he stopped and then withdrew from her gently. When she looked at him; almost with murder in her eye; he had to move rapidly to get her pressed back up against the headboard her legs spread wide before he could touch them. He thrust into her as hard as he could, both of them groaning at the same time, before he began to move in a steady pace against her. Since they were so close he could kiss her he did so and immediately as passionately as he could manage. But since they were both thrusting they needed to breathe quickly and they needed to part soon after they'd started and he groaned in frustration before kissing her harder. He did that a few more times, more because the kisses didn't last as long as he wanted, and finally he was moving them again, laying her on her back once more.

Beckett moved her legs as he touched them and once they were wrapped nearly under his arms he was thrusting yet again. She followed him once she knew how he wanted to take her and as soon as their hips were slapping together she was digging her nails into the bed under her, clutching at the sheet tightly. Eventually her hands pressed down and finding extra leverage she used it as best she could. Trying to withstand the way he was getting in her deeply she slid her legs a little further down on him, wanting to ease up how far he was getting. It was building up too quickly and she was afraid of getting off way earlier than he would so she slowed herself down. She hadn't expected him to follow and when he did she gasped out slightly as he had completely stopped. "Rick… I…" she started to say.

Castle very carefully cut her off by kissing her and since he had the time then to do so he took her lips repeatedly. So many times that when he had to catch his breath he felt as if they'd been doing just that the entire night. But when his wife moved her feet to press them to his hips he shuddered at the reminder of how intimately they were connected. So with that he started to move again, not bothering to build up his speed, starting out as hard as he could while she encouraged him verbally. Listening to her he realized that the pause in their lovemaking had pushed her hard and her frustration was making itself known via her words. He kissed her hard after she paused but that time didn't mind how short it was as he was soon going to her neck. As he started to nibble and suck at her pulse on both sides he could feel her starting to jerk her entire body around him, making him nearly growl her name against her skin.

Throwing her head back Beckett cried out as she felt him stopping but she continued to thrust until she ceased her movements as well. "Rick you can't do this anymore, I'm so close," she said in her frustration.

"Are you sure?" Castle asked her, staring at her intently as he was trying to focus his arousal somehow and thought that was the best way to do it. When she nodded simply he finally decided that they'd both had enough, thrusting and pausing and withholding the pure pleasure of their bodies moving together. So he began to thrust hard again and felt that it had been a good thing she'd told him what she had since the pleasure he'd been trying to keep at bay was rushing on him and roughly. It was doing that so much that he was finally begging his wife, "Come for me… love, please I want to make you… keep coming tonight… but we need to now."

Beckett had her hands on her husband's shoulders, sliding them up to the back of his neck as she moaned out to him, "You won't stop?" When he hissed out that he couldn't and then told her what he was already thinking of doing with her she couldn't stop her body's natural reaction to him. Orgasming almost deliriously her nails were clawing at him before he was raising her hips with his hands and her arms fell to the bed in his wake. She clutched the pillow she somehow managed to land on during all of their moving around and cried, "Then make me cum as hard as you can Rick! Oh love, please I want you already, want to feel you fucking me until I can't… fucking… see! Oh, Rick!" She went on to repeat his name several times as he joined her in his own climax and she was writhing as that was an added burst of ecstasy, roiling and searching out her entire form. She cried out and moaned as he called her name repeatedly himself and she was in a haze until she felt his rapid thrust as she lay supine to him, enjoying every second of it until he nearly collapsed on her.  
"Kate… I…" Castle said when he felt he had the strength to move, let alone speak. "I don't want to stop."

"Then take me," Beckett breathed. "Make me want you."

"That sounds like another challenge Ms. Beckett," Castle said as he looked her in the eye.

"I believe it was Mr. Castle," Beckett replied easily.

With that simple taunt the two were falling into one other and they began to arouse each other, using everything they could to bring them to the point where they were making love yet again. As they kissed and held one other tightly doing that they couldn't forget their first challenge and as they continued they didn't doubt they could reach that number as they focused on each other intently.

* * *

Turning onto his side Castle heard the sound of a moan but since it was incorporated into his dream at that moment it didn't really strike him as odd until he heard a second one and it wasn't his wife's moan of pleasure. His eyes flying open he looked at Beckett next to him and raised his head, seeing in the darkness that her face was contorted and he knew then what she was seeing. "Kate," he told her, sitting up and carefully grabbing her by her arms.

"Rick…" Beckett was murmuring then, sounding heavily distressed. All of a sudden before her husband could try again to wake her up she was doing so, sitting up and breathing heavily as she looked at him.

"I'm here love," Castle said, seeing her eyes trying to focus on him before they finally did so. "Hey it's okay, whatever you-" he started to say when she suddenly hugged him tightly. The desperation in her grasp struck him and he embraced her as tightly as he could, stroking her hair as he murmured, "It was just a nightmare love."

"It felt too real," Beckett breathed, shuddering heavily. "I was in the snow…"

"Oh god," Castle said as he realized quickly what she'd been dreaming about. "That was last year, almost a year ago," he told her. "And I'm fine Kate; I'm here with you, working on our challenge this week. We did pretty well our first night I think." When she shook her head and pressed her cheek to his he sighed as he knew that hadn't worked in reassuring her and he began to stroke her hair, murmuring comfortingly to her in Irish. After a while of that he realized that she wasn't shaking from the remnants of her dream but instead because she was cold. "Here," he told her quickly, pulling her under the covers with him as they were both naked. "Should I get some scotch?" he asked her.

"No, don't," Beckett said. "I don't know why I was seeing that," she said after they were quiet for a moment.

"Maybe… the maze?" Castle suggested. When she glanced at him he shook his head telling her, "I don't know either love but I'm here."

Sighing as she could feel him trying to encompass her body with his own, Beckett could feel the warmth coming back to her before she said, "Thank you."

"For what?" Castle asked, knowing that she didn't mean him warming her.

"For tonight," Beckett said, smiling at him. "Insisting that going would be a great bonding experience."

Laughing slightly as he could tell she was teasing him about his reasoning for them going to the haunted attraction Castle said, "I guess it turned out to be a great chance for you to hear me scream like a girl."

"Hmm, heard it before love I told you earlier," Beckett told him, starting to feel pleasantly drowsy. "You know, I can still feel you."

Looking at her with wide eyes Castle glanced at the nearest clock he could lay his eyes on and said, "It's been a while since the last time… the fifth time."

Beckett sighed, though there wasn't any attempt at exaggeration in that, and said, "Before you ask, it's still going to be just four."

"Are you sure…" Castle asked, raising and lowering his eyebrows a few times before she lightly slapped him with the back of her hand. "Okay… wait, the morning," he said in near delight as he looked at her.

Unable to help laughing softly at the tone of his voice Beckett kissed him, starting it so he could make it deeper which he swiftly did. She sighed when they finally parted and he carefully held her against him again. "I love you," she murmured.

"I love you too," Castle replied, knowing that she was telling him she was relieved to have him with her and telling her the same. He stroked her hair gently, waiting to make sure she would be able to sleep again and also that she did so peacefully for as long as she could. His fatigue from their activities that night came upon him again and he finally allowed himself to fall asleep. As he did so he kept Beckett close to him and fell back into his dreams where they were exploring their intimacy there as eagerly as they had earlier that night.


	3. Darker And Darket It Goes

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song My Dear Country by Norah Jones, from her album Not Too Late.

"Julia, Eliza I'm going to count to five and if you two aren't out in the hall, coming to the kitchen then I'm going to let you have only one of your candies you get on Halloween a night," Beckett called.

When he heard the pounding of small feet Castle glanced over with his wife and said, "Wow, that works."

"I figured," Beckett said in amusement. "Thank you for not running once you got out here," she told their daughters.

"We didn't want you to get mad," Julia replied. "Breakfast is ready?"

"I hope it is," Martha said, coming up behind them. "I'm starving." She smiled when the girls turned and hugged her saying, "Good morning," in response to them. "What were you doing that your mother nearly took away your Halloween candy?"

"Not take away," Eliza said.

"We were playing with Macca over there," Julia said as she and her sister took Martha's hands before they walked over to the kitchen. "After we set the table."

"At least they did that," Castle told his wife.

Glancing at him before she rolled her eyes Beckett said, "At least you two didn't get your clothes full of hairs."

"What are we having?" Julia asked as she watched Castle helping Eliza up onto her booster seat.

"Some pumpkin pancakes and eggs," Castle told them. "I wanted to make this a special breakfast since your mom and I are leaving."

"You can make it next weekend," Julia pointed out.

"The breakfast has been made," Beckett said as she and Castle served the pancakes and eggs. "So unless you want him to take it back-"

"No!" Julia and Eliza cried at the same time.

Laughing under his breath Castle said, "I'll get your coffee right now love."

"Are you going to make something Daddy?" Julia asked hopefully.

"You'll see," Castle replied, taking the finished mug and working on the foam for a moment. After he took his own cup he went over to the table and set down the mug in front of his wife.

Glancing at the design Beckett laughed softly and said, "Cute," as she then pushed the mug over to the girls as they were trying to see. While they were busy doing so she pulled Castle over to her, kissing him on the lips briefly before they pulled apart.

"It looks great Daddy," Julia told him seriously, her sister nodding in agreement next to her.

"Pretty jack…" Eliza started to say before trailing off.

"O," Castle said, looking over at her.

"O," Eliza replied.

"Lantern," Castle pronounced slowly.

"Lan… tern," Eliza then said, smiling at him. "It is pretty Daddy, I like it."

"I'm glad to hear that," Castle said. "But eat; you don't want to be late for school."

Beckett smiled when the girls groaned slightly at that but started to eat and she took a sip from her mug after taking a picture of the foam on top.

"When are you leaving Mommy?" Julia asked after they'd been eating for a while.

"That depends," Castle answered for her as he and his wife exchanged a look. "Do you want us to go to your dance class?"

"That late?" Martha said in slight surprise.

"There's nothing really today," Beckett told her. "Just dinner tonight and I think Rebecca and David are leaving after they pick up Mari."

"It would be nice if you could go to my class," Julia said slowly and softly.

"Then that decides it love," Castle replied. "We'll see what she's doing today."

"Yes, we will," Beckett said with a smile as Julia was literally beaming at them. "I'm eager to go."

"What will you be dancing today kiddo?" Martha asked her.

"I'm not sure," Julia said slowly again. "Ms. Grey usually surprises us with what we dance. But I hope we go over the Jive again."

"Any competitions coming up?" Castle asked.

"I would have said already," Julia pointed out to him.

"That's true," Castle said after he pretended to look thoughtful.

"Do you want me to have another competition?" Julia asked him.

"That would be nice but I just want to see you dance, not so much compete," Castle replied. "That made sense," he then said with a slight laugh.

"It made enough sense," Beckett said, squeezing his hand momentarily. "To change the subject, since it's still raining you know we'll have to take the car right?" she directed to their daughters.

"How are we getting home after dance class?" Julia asked her parents.

"I'm going to go as well," Martha told her. "And we'll come home in my car."

"I wanna go with you," Eliza said to her parents.

"They're gonna go to their party after that," Julia told her quickly.

"Oh," Eliza said, looking at them.

"We are but we'll pick you up at lunch and play with you," Castle said.

"We will," Beckett said. "Unless you need a nap. Eliza," she had to add quickly as the toddler was wrinkling her nose. "If you need one you'll have to take it, I don't want you tired tonight," she said firmly.

"Why Mommy?" Eliza asked.

"I can answer that," Martha said. "Remember last week when we were supposed to make cookies?" She paused to smile at the nods she got from her granddaughters and said, "Well tonight we'll make them and have them for Sunday dinner when your parents come home."

"And with that," Castle commented, standing up. "I think it's time we cleaned up and go."

Letting the girls go back to the family room Beckett cleared the table with her husband, stopping for a moment to watch their daughters playing fetch with Macca in the hall. "I hope it does stop raining," she said to her mother in law who joined them. "They're going to get cabin fever if it doesn't."

"I'll be able to handle them. You've never seen Richard in an apartment after days of rain," Martha said.

"I was only six Mother," Castle replied, rolling his eyes.

"Still," Martha said. "I had to create rainy day activities with him, so I have some experience."

"Are you coming with us to the school?" Beckett asked her.

"I think I'll head out for a little shopping," Martha said. "I made plans to meet Lena and we'll have lunch together so enjoy your time with Eliza until I return home."

"I'm sure we will," Beckett said, glancing to her husband. Before she could ask him what he wanted to do, she heard a squeal from Eliza and saw that the Wolfhound was trying to lick her face. "I think you two need to wash up," she said, going over to the two. "And then we'll get ready to go."

"I wanna play Mommy," Eliza protested.

"You will when we come home," Beckett said reassuringly, leading them into the bathroom. "I'm sorry we won't be able to play with you Julia."

"I know you are already," the little girl replied. When her mother looked at her Julia smiled and said, "I could tell when we ran around yesterday and played those games. It was fun."

"Great but we're going to want to play with you both when we come back home," Castle said, standing in the doorway.

"Kay!" Eliza said exuberantly, jumping into her father's arms before he kissed her cheek and carried her to the foyer. "Jules," she said as she and her sister were putting on their rain boots. "Do we play inside?"

"Yeah we have to," Julia replied. "But remember we did that last week and we still had fun."

"Okay I'll say goodbye to you two," Martha said, coming in then. "I'm leaving in a bit. But I'll see you later of course."

"Bye Gram," Eliza said first with a smile, going over to her. She giggled as the hug was slightly impeded by her raincoat and said, "Can I see you… at lunch?"

"I'm having lunch with a friend but remember I am staying until after Halloween so we'll have the chance during that time," Martha said before the toddler nodded with a wider smile. She kissed her and said, "Have a wonderful day. And you as well Julia."

"I will Gram, you too," the little girl replied. "See you at my class."

Since they'd gotten their coats on while the girls were saying goodbye Castle and Beckett said goodbye to Martha before they took their daughters through the house to the garage after they'd hugged Macca. Driving to the school Castle parked against the curb as close as he could get and then stepped out first with the large umbrella they had.

"Hurry," Beckett said as she opened the back door once she was outside with Castle. "Don't forget your backpacks," she said as Julia and Eliza started to come over to her. She smiled when they stopped and put them on before stepping down onto the sidewalk. "No splashing," she warned them though they knew already.

When they'd gone into the elementary school building Castle shook out the umbrella and followed his wife with their daughters to Eliza's classroom where he helped Julia take off her boots. "Who's taking her in?" he asked Beckett.

"You Daddy," Eliza said before her mother could answer.

"Julia," Beckett said to her daughter.

"I'll see you at recess," the little girl promised her sister. She hugged her tightly and said, "Have fun."

"You too, I wanna play later," Eliza said. She squeezed Julia tightly and then turned to their mother who placed her hand on her shoulder. She launched herself at Beckett and said, "Wanna play too Mommy, with you."

"Don't worry, we will," Beckett said reassuringly. She kissed her the top of her head before they shared a kiss and then said, "Have a great day."

"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding.

Beckett couldn't help laughing softly and kissing her again before she led her by the hand to Castle who was waiting for them. "We'll wait here," she said.

"Hi Mari!" Julia said after the two had gone into the classroom.

"Hey, are you two ready to go?" Rebecca asked.

"We are, just a few last minute things," Beckett answered. "We'll leave after her dance class."

"Great, we'll see you there," David said. "Tell Rick we said hi."

"I will," Beckett replied. She watched the three go to the stairs to take Mari to the fourth grade classrooms before she realized Julia was tugging on her hand.

"Where's Dani?" the little girl asked.

"Rebecca's parents are probably at their house watching her," Beckett said.

"Can Mari still spend the night tomorrow?" Julia said.

"She can," Beckett assured her, hugging her to her side as they waited for Castle to come out of the classroom.

"Okay," he was saying after he had gone inside with Eliza. "Your coat is here but you shouldn't be going outside until we get back," he told her in a mock stern tone of voice.

"No puddles?" Eliza asked him with a smile as he put her backpack away in her cubbyhole.

"Not today… unless it stops raining and you get permission," Castle told her. When she nodded he knelt in front of her and said, "We'll see you soon so until then have fun."

"I will, you too Daddy… do you write?" Eliza asked.

"I think you can read your mother's mind," Castle told her in amusement. "We might. But now time to learn okay?"

"Yeah," Eliza replied, nodding her head eagerly before she giggled softly. She threw her arms around his neck and hugged him tightly. "See you later Daddy," she told him.

"See you at lunch," Castle said. When he pulled away from her slightly he kissed her and said, "Learn a lot."

"Write lots," Eliza said back. She giggled when he chuckled slightly before kissing the top of her head. She heard her name being called and rushed back to her teacher as her father left.

Going up the stairs after he was outside with Beckett and Julia, Castle paused to speak with David and Rebecca before they left and the three continued upstairs. "You want to guess again what they might dress up as tomorrow?" he asked his wife as they walked down the hall.

"Do they know what you're going to be?" Julia asked.

"All they know is that your gram made my costume," Beckett said. They soon reached Julia's classroom and she turned to her, hugging her the same time the little girl did to her. "Have fun sweetie and we will go to your dance class I promise," she told her.

"I didn't think you were going to leave," Julia said though she was pleased to hear that. "And I can't wait to see you again."

"Have fun and pay attention," Beckett said, adding the last on teasingly. She then kissed her on the cheek as Julia did the same to her before she embraced her one last time. She watched as Castle kissed their oldest on her cheek too, wishing Julia hadn't become embarrassed by their kissing her as they'd used to. But she could understand why she was; she'd done the same herself with her own parents at the same age.

"You heard your mom, fun and attention," Castle said, not surprised when Julia laughed. "But she's right, we'll see you."

"Thank you Daddy, have fun with Eliza after lunch," Julia said.

"We will," Castle said as he straightened up and he and his wife watched their daughter head into her classroom. When the door was closed he felt Beckett's hand slip through his arm and he walked back to the stairs to they could leave.

Looking out at the storm as they drove back home Beckett said, "I have my doubts this will stop."

"We told the girls it might not," Castle told her. "But still, you never know."

"How's your knee?" Beckett asked as they waited for the gate to open to the driveway.

"It's fine it can't predict the rain stopping, just that the storm is coming," Castle replied. "Which you believe right."

"My mom's father had that with his left arm," Beckett said. "Your mom left."

"She did," Castle said, seeing the third car was gone. He wanted to say more then but decided to hold back until they were both inside the house and after greeting Macca who'd run up to them. "So, we're alone… relatively speaking," he said, his hand on top of the dog's head.

"No," Beckett said simply.

"No? Come on love, we have-" Castle started to say.

"I want to wait," Beckett said as she covered his mouth with her hand. "Until tonight."

Castle considered that and then said with a nod, "Do you want to work on our challenge still?"

"We have two nights left," Beckett told him with a slight smirk. "In the meantime, I think we should head back to Belladonna Park."

"Yeah, lead the way," Castle said eagerly.

Beckett couldn't help smiling at his enthusiasm and together they headed to their office as Macca followed, appearing to be smiling as he panted. "Where's your rawhide boy?" she asked the dog.

Sitting Macca raised his paw and started to reach for Beckett before he turned when Castle came back after ducking out. When he saw his bed in his arms he barked and stood up, wagging his tail eagerly before it was put down and he got onto it, chewing at the hide bone that was also on it.

"Okay so he's set," Castle said to his wife. "Where were we?"

"They were in their room," Beckett said, sitting at her computer and reading what they had at the end of the document that was their next book. "Changing into their costumes."

"Just a thought," Castle said as he went over to her then and kissed the side of her neck through her hair. "Did you have problems with your costume?"

"Why?" Beckett asked, enjoying the kiss but wondering what her husband was talking about.

"Because I think we should have them discussing hers," Castle replied before he sat down. He read the last sentence and then said as he typed, "Moor looked at his partner before he said appreciatively, 'You put all former flappers to shame you know.'"

Beckett then took over typing, "'There's no need to kiss my ass Moor,' Green replied. She glanced at herself in the mirror and shook her head. 'I'm only doing this because Captain was adamant that we should act accordingly.'"

"'So if I kiss you down on the dance floor, you'd be fine with it right?' Moor asked," Castle said.

Looking at her husband Beckett smiled and then typed, "Green looked at the reflection of her boyfriend in the mirror and said, 'You're taking it a little too far with that; it'll be enough to not be disgusted by each other. We need to pay attention so we can find our suspect.' She then turned around and before Moor could say anything to her she cupped his face with her hands, nearly crushing her lips against his. The kiss was a little quick and she barely let him respond before pulling away. 'Let's go,' she told him before walking to the door."

"So now we need to figure out how far into the party we'll go before the murder," Castle said, scratching the back of his head.

"You're thinking we should delay it," Beckett told him with a slight smirk.

"Give them a little relationship time between Moor and Green," Castle replied easily.

Sighing, as she knew he was right about the readers wanting that, Beckett said, "To what extent?"

"I'm wondering if we should go so far as to introduce the killer at the dinner before the dancing," Castle told her.

Thinking about that Beckett then nodded and said, "We had planned to introduce everyone. Though I don't think the blackmail route is really going to go over well."

"Come on, they did it in the movie _Clue_ ," Castle reminded her.

"And that's why we shouldn't do it," Beckett said, shaking her head. She then said, "No, just introduce them but don't hint yet that they have problems. Better that those come out later." She then paused and said, "What we could do is hint at one person."

"Our McGuffin?" Castle asked her. When she nodded he said, "Okay, let's get started on him first before we discuss again."

Beckett smiled at that, since that was how they usually wrote, talking in between stretches of writing which helped them hammer out the small details they wanted until then to work out. She looked on as he started to type and cleared her throat noisily saying, "Are you forgetting about me."

"No I want to read this to you," Castle replied. "Which I'll do now. Okay. _Descending the stairs, Green was relieved she hadn't taken Moor's suggestion to use a skirt fashioned entirely from beads, feeling the gaze of some of the other guests as they passed them on the stairs. She murmured to him then before they got to the floor and when he shook his head she glanced back at a few of the men before letting him lead her over to the parlor._ " When he stopped he looked at his wife saying, "Setting the scene there."

"It's good though you make it sound like they're ogling her," Beckett told him.

"I want that and the idea that maybe she's checking them out as possible suspects," Castle said. "Do you want to mention now she's armed?" he asked her.

"She needs to be," Beckett said easily. "If you'll allow me," she said, smiling when he took his hands off the keyboard of his laptop, holding them up. At that she then began to type saying, "It was then Moor seemed to realize something and he asked her, 'Are you armed?' Glancing at him Green said softly, 'Of course,' moving his hand to her thigh so he would brush gently against the pistol she had there underneath her skirt."

Taking over Castle then said, "Moor wanted to comment on that but they were then approached by the owner of the manor, dressed as the Sun King. He also wanted to comment on that though he only managed to say, 'Very regal,' look-"

"Wait, we're not going to have anything with the owner remember," Beckett said, cutting him off. "Unless you want to implicate him slightly?"

"I was thinking the same costume but that might be expected," Castle said thoughtfully. "Okay so I'll go from the guy approaching them here. 'You two look great,' Peterson told them with a smile. 'You could be Bonnie and Clyde almost.' Moor wanted to say that was the wrong era but before he could speak, his girlfriend was nearly ramming her elbow into his side and he stopped. Instead he replied, 'Nice of you to say, you've done a great job yourself.'"

Since Castle looked over at her then as he had stopped Beckett smiled and then typed saying, "The owner nodded his thanks before he looked around them and said to the two, 'My wife urged me to show you the china you were speaking of buying Mrs. McCrae.' 'Of course, please lead the way,' Green replied, smiling at the man before they followed him to the dining room."

From that point they discussed and typed out the conversation between the owner and Moor and Green until they came to the start of the dinner and there they paused as Castle turned to the stack of papers on the shelf to his right.

While she was waiting for him to get their list of names Beckett glanced back at Macca seeing the Wolfhound was fast asleep, his head tucked onto the bone. She couldn't help it and took a quick picture of the dog before her husband touched her arm to get her attention.

"Did you get it?" Castle asked with a smile.

"Mmm-hmm," Beckett replied. Before he could go back to his laptop she squeezed his arm and gestured to him with her finger. When he had leaned in towards her she kissed him and quickly put down her phone before they grabbed one another. After a while she was pulled over onto his lap and she smiled before wrapping her arms around him and kissing him again. They were kissing deeply and fervently for a time and she knew they needed to get back to their novel but she had a hard time forcing herself to get away from him. Finally though they stopped because they were panting heavily and she whispered against his lips, "We'll have to make sure we have time tonight."

"What are we doing tomorrow until the party?" Castle asked her, trying not to allow himself to begin touching her in such a way that they'd need to part.

"I don't think we have plans… going to Shirley?" Beckett said, shrugging her shoulders. She sighed and said, "But we don't necessarily have to do that."

Castle nodded and said, "Why don't we… spend until twelve tomorrow in bed before going there for lunch and maybe go shopping?"

Beckett looked thoughtful for a moment and said, "The dinner isn't until seven thirty."

"Right," Castle said, not sure exactly what she was getting at but having an idea of her idea.

"We can eat at one," Beckett told him. "Or two."

Breathing out deeply Castle said, "Did we switch bodies?" He laughed when she pushed him and said, "Okay, maybe not but still, I did not expect you to say that."

"So no?" Beckett asked.

"I want to, badly," Castle said. He leaned up and kissed her deeply, but briefly, before they slowly parted and said, "I want you badly."

"Hmm so do I," Beckett replied, leaning against him and kissing his temple.

It was then that Castle noticed their computers and the document opened on them before he sighed and said, "We need to get back to work don't we?"

Looking at her watch Beckett said, "I did want to try and write until at least eleven." She laughed softly as he groaned and leaned his head back before she looked over at Macca. "You woke him up," she said as she saw the dog was standing and then shaking.

"Oh, hey boy," Castle said, reaching out when the dog had come over to them. He scratched behind his ear and then ruffled the reddish brown fur before he let go of his wife. "You know there's something I've wondered," he told her as he watched Beckett sit on her desk chair. "How many times have we not kissed while we write?"

"Or grope?" Beckett asked him wryly. When her husband merely raised his eyebrows in response she smiled and then said, "Probably not more than you can count on both your hands. But for now let's get back to it."

"Okay here's the list of names," Castle told her. "And I think we should start with the couple they already know."

"Sitting next to them?" Beckett asked.

Shaking his head Castle said, "Across from them. Sitting next to them should be the gay couple, Jean and Marty."

"I have to wonder if Patrick is going to read that and realize that's him," Beckett said with a smile.

"Maybe," Castle said, knowing that wasn't a question. "Alright I'll start us off. Being seated across from the couple they'd met earlier Green smiled at Emily before saying, 'You two look great.'"

While they continued to write until eleven thirty; unable to help continuing for that long; Castle and Beckett stopped a few times to brainstorm together and once for a prolonged break. When they had that Beckett sat on the couch while she watched her husband playing with Macca. At the point where they were getting a little tired writing and it was nearly time for them to stop anyways so they saved what they'd gotten and left the room to look and see what they had for lunch with their youngest.

"I feel good about this," Castle commented, looking around the fridge and its contents.

"This story?" Beckett asked him with a smile.

"I think it'll work really well," Castle said before he closed the door and turned to her.

"Well?" Beckett said. "Do we need to get anything?"

"No we're good," Castle replied. "Quesadillas?"

"Okay," Beckett asked. She laughed softly when her husband glanced at her and said, "You know Eliza will love those."

"Speaking of which, let's go," Castle said.

Beckett laughed softly again at his exuberant tone but followed him to the foyer where she saw it was still raining. "Did she ask about puddles?" she asked her husband as he helped her into her coat.

"We talked about it," Castle said with a smile as he got his own then. "But I'm sure she'll have the chance to play in those tomorrow."

"Since you'll tell your mom to let her," Beckett said, looking at him out of the corner of her eye as they were walking to the garage.

"And you wouldn't let them?" Castle asked.

"Touché," Beckett replied, shaking her head as she got into the car. She allowed him to drive back to the school and when she had to wait for him to get out before he came around she smiled and said, "I wonder if you didn't plan that."

"I'm not that devious," Castle replied as he was holding the umbrella so she could step out. "But this has a nice benefit," he then told her. He tucked her hand into his arm though they didn't have very far to go before they were inside. "Thanks for waiting for me to come inside under the umbrella," he told her.

"They're coming out right now," Beckett told him before they went to stand amongst the others waiting to pick up the preschoolers who were beginning to be led out by their teachers. She waved as Eliza walked out and watched her closely as she could tell the toddler was about to run towards them. She smiled briefly when she didn't and at the same time smiled sheepishly at her and Castle before she could pick Eliza up. "Hello sweetie how was it today?" she asked as she embraced her tightly.

"Good, I will say later," the toddler replied with a smile before she kissed her mother's cheek.

"I think I know what we're talking about during lunch," Castle said with a smile, leaning over and kissing her cheek. They headed back to the car as he held the umbrella yet again and he waited for Beckett to put their daughter in her car seat before he took her to the passenger seat. "I kind of feel like a chauffeur doing this," he told her.

"Go," Beckett said with a slight laugh before she watched him walk around the car again. She looked back at Eliza and saw that the toddler was waving her fingers through the air and said, "What're you doing sweetie?"

"Playing races," Eliza replied when her father got into the car.

"Who's winning?" Castle asked as he started the car.

"Dunno," Eliza replied, shrugging her shoulders. She kept her eyes on the window to her right, watching the way the rain drops flew back on the window before she realized her parents were talking about their writing. "Did you write today?" she asked quickly when there was a pause.

"Yes we did, even Macca," Castle replied. He laughed when Beckett shot him a look and said, "Sorry. He didn't sweetie, I'm kidding."

"I know," Eliza said simply.

"She's around Macca a lot, I think she realizes he wouldn't be able to contribute anything," Beckett told him with a smile. She looked back at their youngest when she barked and said, "Except for that."

"She's very smart, just like her mother," Castle said as he was waiting for the gate to open.

Once the three were back inside the house they went straight back to the kitchen where Castle and Beckett made a quick lunch while Eliza was trying to play keep away with one of Macca's stuffed toys.

"I wanna play still," Eliza complained when her father carried her to the kitchen table after he had helped her wash her hands.

"I know but we need to eat if we're going to have the chance to play after lunch before going to see your sister's class," Castle told her, setting her down in her seat.

"Eat slowly or else we'll take longer ourselves," Beckett said as she watched Eliza picking up a piece of her quesadilla.

"Love," Castle said after he and Beckett had taken a few bites. "What do we do when we get to the B&B?"

"Play," Eliza interjected as her mother was opening her mouth to reply.

Laughing under her breath at that Beckett ran her hand over the toddler's hair and then said, "We'll figure something out."

"Sure," Castle said, nodding to let her know that he knew she hadn't meant that to sound sexual. He smiled and said, "Could go out."

"Rain Daddy, you don't go out," Eliza said, putting down her cup.

"I know," Castle said. "Maybe if it stops I should have said."

"Maybe," Beckett replied, smiling at him. "We'll see." She then said to their youngest, "Tell us all about your day sweetie."

Eliza finished her bite of the tortilla, cheese and chicken before beginning to tell her parents all about what she'd done during class and at recess. She looked out at the backyard when she was finished and said, "Jules plays inside now."

"Yeah she does but I'm sure she's having a great time with her friends," Beckett said.

"Jules has lots," Eliza said, nodding as she let her mother wipe the crumbs off her hands.

"Of friends?" Castle asked.

"It's more she has a few new friends," Beckett said, smiling and leaning down to kiss the toddler on her forehead. She then helped her down to the ground where she had to stop Macca from trying to lick the crumbs on Eliza's chin. "Hold on," she said, hurrying to wipe it clean before the toddler hugged the dog tightly. "Go ahead and play with him here in the hall, we'll join you once we're done," Beckett told her daughter.

"Kay," Eliza replied before going to pick up the toy she'd been playing with before.

While their daughter was running around and letting Macca try to take the toy back Castle and Beckett cleaned up from lunch. When they were finished they checked to make sure Martha had enough of the soup and sandwiches Beckett had prepared as Castle had been making lunch. With that done they went into the family room with Eliza, playing a few educational games with her. Before they had to leave for Julia's class they went upstairs and finished packing as they let their youngest play on the bed with Macca.

"I don't wanna stop," Eliza protested before she was smiling widely at her mother who carried her to the foyer.

"I think you're okay with doing that for now," Castle told her, bringing their suitcase with them. "And we know already how much you want to see your sister."

"Yeah to dance," Eliza said in agreement, nodding her head eagerly.

Laughing with her husband Beckett went out to the garage again and let him put Eliza into her car seat while she got in the driver's seat. She got them to the school at the same time as Martha, parking behind Castle's mother. "Good timing," she said, as she went around the car to open the door for her husband so he could take the umbrella she held.

"Oh I know I almost didn't think I was going to make it," Martha replied. "How was lunch?" she asked as she reached them in time to say that to Eliza who was in her mother's arms.

"Good, cheeses," the toddler explained simply.

"Quesadillas," Castle said as they walked up to the school, trying not to get in the way of parents and students who were leaving.

"Lucky girl," Martha said before they paused and she took Eliza who was reaching out to her.

Once they were in the dance class they sat together on the stairs, watching as slowly the students came out from the changing rooms; the girls in long skirts.

"Sure she's dancing the Jive?" Castle asked his wife.

"There might be other dances, Julia wasn't sure," Beckett said, breaking out into a smile as she watched their daughter coming out to them. "Hello sweetie," she said as Julia came straight to her hugging her. "We said," she said in mock exasperation.

"No I just wanna hug you all the times I won't get to this weekend," Julia replied, pulling away from her to look at her.

" _I love you_ Julia," Beckett said, cupping her cheek with her hand. "Hug your daddy."

" _I love you too sweetheart_ ," Castle said as soon as he had both his daughters hugging him. He waited for her to pull back before saying, "Go on and dance your socks off… or your shoes, either way."

"Did you see Mommy's shoes yet?" Julia suddenly asked in excitement.

"Julia?" the dance teacher called as she was about to start the class but was waiting for her.

"Yes Ms. Grey," the little girl said, waving to her family and hurrying over to them.

"Today we are going to practice the Paso Doble again," the teacher began.

"She still likes this one," Castle said in a murmur to his wife.

Beckett smiled and inclined her head slightly before watching as Grey got the partners together in hold and counted out the basic steps of the song. She watched the way that Julia held herself while she had to dance with Peter until they could let go of one another. "She took your lessons to heart for this dance," she commented to her mother in law.

"Oh I know, one of my best students," Martha said. "Don't tell my students in the city."

"Then she's your best here in the Hamptons," Castle said, smiling as Eliza nodded in agreement with him.

After having a few couples dance the Paso Doble to a song, Grey said, "Julia, Peter if you please."

Pushing off the _barre_ where she and her partner had been standing with the other students Julia walked up to the woman and looked up at her as she spoke.

"I'd like you both to dance the Flamenco for me," Grey replied. "I'll count off as I want to have you try out a few steps for me that we need to review."

"Likes this one too," Castle said in a rush before the teacher was counting out steps, clapping her hands. He was surprised when that ended up being the entirety of the lesson but knew that Julia didn't mind at all as she looked to be having a blast with the steps. He clapped with the others as she and Peter ended the class dancing the newer steps with others they already knew and watched her go back to the changing room for the girls. "She's good. Our little _señorita_ ," he said to his wife and mother.

"It looks like it," Beckett said, standing up. "So we'll say goodbye… I guess outside," she said as they turned to the windows and saw that the sun was out. She wanted to comment on that but Julia was hurrying out to them dressed in her uniform so she turned her attention to her and Eliza as the former was talking happily to them.

"When are you gonna come back?" Julia asked as they went outside.

"Sunday, probably after lunch," Beckett said, squeezing her hand gently. "So we'll be able to spend a little time with you. We'll call later, maybe at…" she began to say, looking at her husband.

"We'll let you have the day off today," Martha said before her daughter in law could continue. She smiled when Castle and Beckett looked at her in surprise and said, "Call us tomorrow before we eat lunch so you won't need to worry about it before the party."

"That sounds nice but we need to check first," Castle replied. He looked at the girls saying, "Is that okay with you or should we still call tonight?"

"No tomorrow is fine," Julia said. "You won't be gone for long before you call if you did that today. So tomorrow."

"Then we will call," Beckett said firmly. By then they'd reached their cars and she said, "Okay, once your seat is in your gram's car Eliza we need to go."

"Kay," Eliza said, smiling at her mother.

"I don't think they mind," Castle said to his wife.

"I don't think so," Beckett replied. She smiled when she felt the two hugging her, knowing they would miss them but guessed they weren't too upset since they wouldn't be that far away from home.

"Okay here we go," Castle said, coming out of the back of his mother's car. He took the girls in his arms as they ran to him, hugging them as tightly as he could before saying, "I love you Julia, Eliza. Have fun and of course be good for your gram."

"We will," the two said at the same time before they giggled together for a moment.

"I love you too Daddy," Julia said first after they'd calmed down.

"I love you Daddy," Eliza was quick to say once her sister had finished. She shared a kiss with him after Julia had and they hugged him together before he let them go. She rushed to their mother, hugging her as hard as she could against her side.

"Hold on," Beckett said, going to the car and sitting so she could embrace them a little better. "Your daddy beat me to saying it again," she told them after Julia and Eliza had pulled back a little. "But you know to behave of course already; we just want to make sure you know."

"We do Mommy, don't worry," Julia said as she watched Eliza lean against her. "And we'll have fun too."

"I know you will," Beckett said wryly though she was smiling at her. "Okay I love you Julia, Eliza so much. We'll talk to you tomorrow before lunch."

"Kay, love you Mommy," the toddler said before she shared a kiss with her mother.

"I love you too Mommy," Julia said then. After sharing a kiss with Beckett she then told her, "I hope you and Daddy have a fun time. Will you take a picture to send us?"

"Before we change," Beckett said, glancing at Martha. "Your gram wants you to see it in person, not in a picture."

Laughing as her granddaughters turned their heads to look at her Martha said simply, "You can take a selfie if you'd like."

"So they don't see the full dress?" Beckett replied. When her mother in law nodded once she smiled and then turned to her daughters saying, "We'll do that." She kissed them a final time and embraced them tightly after before standing back up and going to her mother in law. "I hope you'll be okay with them tomorrow night," she said as they quickly hugged.

"I've handled four children before," Martha said, reminding her about the weekend before. "Enjoy yourselves and we'll want to hear all about the party Saturday night."

"We'll tell you," Castle promised, his wife nodding next to him. He then waited for his mother to get Eliza in the car and once they had left, he turned and said, "So, should we go?"

"You want to head back home already?" Beckett asked with a slightly raised eyebrow.

"Sure, why not," Castle said sarcastically. He smiled when she sighed and then went to their car with her, opening the passenger door for her before saying, "We'll get there just when it's getting dark."

Beckett had to wait for him to get in the car but once he had and had started it she said, "You want to go outside and play?"

"Not really, I'm just saying," Castle replied. When his wife looked at him at that he laughed and though he was driving away from the school he glanced to her and said, "I'm just wondering if you didn't want to leave this late."

"I wanted to see Julia," Beckett said firmly.

"Me too," Castle said with a nod. He reached over and squeezed her hand firmly in his own and they headed to the B&B talking about their party the next week.

When he had pulled off the road and was pulling up to the building Beckett said, "I'm surprised they're all coming."

"Me too," Castle replied. "If Tommy was in preschool yet I'm sure Ryan and Jenny would have stayed in the city."

"More than likely," Beckett said. "It's been a while since we've had them all over."

"A long time," Castle said as he parked then in the driveway. He looked at her and said, "You did tell Espo that this is going to be a kid's party right?"

Beckett laughed and said, "He asked before I could finish the invitation." She then looked thoughtful for a moment and told him, "I almost thought he was going to decline but he said he'd come."

"Luckily we have space for everyone," Castle said. "To stay the night and speaking of that."

"Nice segue," Beckett said wryly, looking at him as they were at the B&B. She got out of the car and waited for him to get their suitcase before she grabbed her dress that was in the back. Hand in hand with him they walked up to the front door where she allowed him to ring the doorbell as she didn't want to let go of his hand.

"Hello again," John Kemp said as he opened the door, his wife next to him. "Welcome and Happy Halloween."

"An early Halloween," Beatrice Kemp said as they stepped aside to let Castle and Beckett in. "Hopefully your drive was nice?"

"It was, the foliage is beautiful," Castle said as they took off their coats. "You must be surrounded by reds and golds out back."

"I forgot you were here in late fall," John said with a smile. "You'll have the chance to see the backyard tomorrow."

"I'll take you up to your room," Beatrice said. "You're in the same one of course, as you requested Mr. Castle."

"Rick is fine," he told her as he followed Beckett over to the stairs behind the woman.

"And you can call me Kate," Beckett told her quickly. "And the same room is fine of course."

"Okay," Beatrice said with a smile. "Well we're full for the party so you'll have neighbors this time."

"Everyone staying is here for the party?" Beckett asked.

"Oh yes, it's a popular event," the co-owner said with a smile. She led them to the door of their room and turning to them said, "Dinner will be at seven if you're going to join us."

"We will," Beckett said, reaching out to take the key from the woman after she had handed it to her. She and Castle watched Beatrice go back over to the stairs before a couple passed her at the top. "Rowena?" she asked, recognizing the woman quickly.

"Hello," she said, walking over to them and hugging Beckett briefly. "Great to see you again."

"Great to see you," Castle said shaking her husband, Dale Reid's, hand. They had kept in touch with the two after meeting them the year before, though hadn't seen them since November as the couple had been busy with their new baby.

"How's Amelia?" Becket asked, having been thinking along the same line as her husband.

"She's doing great," Rowena replied as she saw her husband was taking his phone from his pocket. "And he loves her if you can't tell."

"I can," Beckett said, knowing that the woman loved her daughter as well. After she and Castle had looked at a few pictures of their five month old she said, "What room are you in?"

"We're down the hall," Dale replied. "We should let you unpack though," he said as he saw the garment bag still in Beckett's hands and the suitcase next to Castle. "We'll see you at dinner?"

"Oh of course," Castle said with a nod. When the two had left he said, "Should we add friends?"

"To the book?" Beckett asked.

"We're going to be in the book?" an excited voice said behind them.

Turning Castle and Beckett exchanged a smile when they saw David and Rebecca in the room next to them and greeted them, promising they would be at dinner. When they got into their own room they closed the door behind them and looked around briefly, seeing everything was still the same before they began to unpack.

* * *

"Rick," Beckett said, looking up at her husband as he jumped onto the bed after they had finished and had spent a little time in the turret looking outside while she'd taken pictures in the fading light. She shook her head at him as he was laying out with his shoes sticking over the edge and said, "You're done?"

"We do have dinner," Castle replied, since he knew she meant if he was finished for the day. He moved to sit up on the edge before telling her, "But they might be playing cards or doing other stuff. You want to stick around for that?"

Going over to stand in front of him Beckett put her hands on both sides of his body and leaning close to his face said, "No."

"That's it?" Castle asked, unable to help laughing as she stood up and then walked away.

"I think that's enough," Beckett told him simply before she smirked as he walked over to her quickly. "But I would like to get back and rest in anticipation for tomorrow."

"Yeah," Castle said slowly, reaching over to her and running his hand over her hip. He looked up into her eyes as she didn't respond to him and with her gaze he could tell that she was just waiting. "At least one."

"Careful," Beckett said instantly as he leaned over towards her. She was pleased when he took her warning to heart and they kissed gently, slowly, before he was pulling away. She was a little dismayed to discover that she was eager for more after that and when the corner of her husband's lips quirked up said, "You were going to kiss me like that already." When he simply smiled at her she then said, "You bastard," though she had a teasing tone to her voice. "I'll make sure you pay for that later," she said to him as they let go of each other forcibly.

"I'm looking forward to that," Castle replied simply before they left the room, holding her hand tightly.

Beckett didn't have a chance to reply to that as they were meeting some other couples who were heading down to dinner. She was distracted by seeing them and she said to her husband, " _There'll be a lot of people here_."

" _No I don't want to go back and rewrite it_ ," Castle said quickly, knowing what she meant by that. " _Not unless we get something much better than what we have there already_."

Nodding to that Beckett went with Castle over to where they were going to eat, seeing that it was bigger than the room they'd been in their last visit and there were at least ten couples there along with the owners and themselves. She let Castle lead her over to the Fosters and the table there, just managing to sit down before the meal was served. "How was Mari when you left?" she asked Rebecca softly since she was sitting next to her.

"Great," the woman replied. "She didn't mind us coming in the first place so she just told us to have fun and call her."

"Tonight?" Castle asked, leaning over to look at her.

"Tomorrow," David corrected. "She said she wants to see us before we go to the party."

"That's basically what Julia and Eliza told us," Beckett said.

"After my mother informed us we didn't need to call tonight, though they want us to talk to them before lunch," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when David and Rebecca looked at him in surprise at that and he explained, "Kate is going to surprise them with her costume next week."

"Martha didn't request that?" Rebecca asked her friend.

Taking a platter of food that her husband passed to her Beckett took a moment to respond before she was saying, "No but I think she does want to surprise Julia since it was her that thought of it first."

"She'll love it I'm sure," Rebecca said. She then asked, "You're wearing something from _Dancing With the Stars_ aren't you?" as she took the platter from Beckett.

Smiling at her friend Beckett didn't say anything and instead focused on getting some of the food being passed around. As they started to eat she glanced around the table and said, "The Reids are here."

"We saw them when we arrived," Rebecca said. "She is nice, you're right. We really need to go to her shop while she's there."

"She will be soon," Beckett replied.

"Is there anyone else you know here?" David asked.

Looking around the table quickly as he knew his wife was doing Castle shook his head and said, "I think you four are the only people we know." His gaze snagged on two people down at the other end of the table on the opposite side, not sure what it was about them that bothered him. He nearly jumped when he felt a hand on his arm and looked at his wife, leaning over as he knew she was going to speak to him.

" _I noticed too_ ," Beckett said simply at first. She ate some vegetables and then said softly, " _There's something off about them_."

Castle was going to say something when John was standing up at the head of the table and he said, "We'll be introduced to them now."

"Good evening everyone," the co-owner said with a smile at the guests. "Welcome to the Beach B&B for the Halloween festivities though they of course won't be until tomorrow night. I think since there are so many of us and we will be having a party together we should introduce ourselves. I'm John and this is Beatrice, we're the Kemps."

The husband from the first couple that the owner indicated should go first looked around a little nervously and said, "Should we just say the same?" When John nodded he said, "Okay well I'm Hugh and this is my wife Margret, we're the Carters."

As the couples each introduced themselves Castle looked at the two next to him who said they were Nicholas and Amie Melton since he realized he actually knew the man from playing polo with him. Before he could mention that to David and their wives, he cleaned his throat and said, "I'm Richard Castle and this is my wife Kate Beckett," having been the only couple so far with separate last names. He felt her squeeze his hand suddenly, squeezing back as he knew she was suddenly wondering if that bothered him though they'd spoken of that before their marriage.

"Hard not to recognize you," Melton said with a smile. "Best polo player in the Hamptons of course; players I should say. Hey David," he said when he saw the man leaning over to look at him.

"Didn't recognize you Nick," David said, looking briefly at Castle. "So I guess we're next, I'm David, and this is my wife Rebecca, we're-"

"The Fosters," the man of the couple said on the other side of the table that Castle and Beckett had noticed earlier. "We've heard of you. And you too," he directed to Castle and Beckett themselves

Not surprised at that Beckett put her hand on Rebecca's arm as her friend and David merely nodded. She waited for the couple on the other side to introduce themselves, though hearing their names, Piers and Lucy Barclay; she still couldn't say why exactly she and Castle had noticed them. So she tried to ignore them before she turned her attention to the others left to introduce themselves.

When everyone had finished John raised his glass and said, "Enjoy your time here and dinner as well," before he sat back down to let everyone eat.

" _I'm confused_ ," Castle said to his wife quickly before anyone else could talk to them.

" _It might be inherent in us to assume there might be a problem_ ," Beckett replied. " _But we should just try to relax this time around_."

"True," Castle said, reverting to English as he looked at her. When his wife turned to him he smiled before she did so as well and leaned against him briefly before turning to Rebecca. He was going to listen in on what they were talking about; as David was doing; when Nicholas next to him started to speak to him.

"So are you two going to be playing next month?" the man asked.

"Of course," David answered before Castle could. "We've been practicing so you'll see us again."

After looking at the man Beckett turned to her husband and when she saw him shake his head she smiled and said, "Friendly rivalry?"

"As much there can be since he's from a different town," Castle said carefully. "I really wish the Reids could have sat with us."

Beckett looked past her husband, at the Meltons, but turned her attention to the couple across from them, the Bergdahls, who were asking about their latest book. She shared a look with Castle; since they'd expected it; and soon found themselves needing to tell the entire table about their next plot as they had turned their attention to them. Though they didn't reveal much she was relieved to hear that the others seemed interested in the vague idea they put forth and sharing a glance with Castle she could tell he was too.

* * *

"Yeah nice to meet you too," Castle said, nodding to the man that he'd been talking to as he drank his coffee. After he was left alone he went over to the parlor, seeing his wife was talking with Rowena and another woman in the room. He went over to her before the two left her as he neared. "Hey where are David and Rebecca?" he asked.

"They left," Beckett said, nodding to the ceiling.

"Really?" Castle replied. When his wife nodded he couldn't help but smile as he said, "Lucky."

Shooting him a look Beckett said, "Why don't we go outside, get some fresh air?"

"Sure," Castle replied, following her over to the entry where they grabbed their coats and went quickly outside. "Did you want to walk around?" he asked her, looking ahead at the trees in front of them.

"Not through there," Beckett said, shaking her head. "Just to the pond since there is a path."

"Cold night though," Castle said though he then followed her.

Beckett turned to him and waited for him to reach her before she wound her arms around his neck, kissing him firmly on the lips. She was soon pulling away and asked, "Warmer?"

Seeming to think that over Castle finally said, "Slightly."

Shooting him a look Beckett kissed him again, but much faster, and then said, "We'll warm up in the room, come on." She took his hand at that point and was about to lead him down the path again when he was pulling her against his side and they walked together. "Did they really expect people to stick around tonight?" she said with a smile as she glanced at him.

"You can read my mind love," Castle said to her with a smile as he'd been tempted to say that. "And I'm sure they'll expect the rooms to empty out tonight. Tomorrow we'll stick around longer. Well… unless some couples feel more amorous and want to step out for a second."

"Like you hope we do?" Beckett asked him.

"I'm not expecting that," Castle said hurriedly and defensively. He wasn't surprised when his wife just looked at him with a smile and he sighed saying, "Okay, I might have been hoping when I agreed to you asking me to come out here but when we stepped out I decided maybe it can wait until we get to the bedroom."

"So you're not planning on this walk taking long," Beckett stated.

Looking at his wife at that Castle studied her for a moment before he smirked and said, "Neither are you. And you planned that didn't you?"

"Why else would I kiss you like I did?" Beckett asked simply.

Breathing out for a moment Castle tried to think of a reply to that that wouldn't earn him an elbow jammed into his side but couldn't as they'd made it to the pond. He let go of her to take her hand and they walked together around the edge of the pond before he looked up at the sky.

"What're you thinking?" Beckett asked him, watching him as she made him stop.

"Just that maybe you're right," Castle said. "We've been through trips that weren't exactly normal but we've never had problems here. They've only been in our head."

"Your head, especially that first time," Beckett shot back quickly. She smiled when he glanced at her but didn't reply, knowing that she was right. "Come on, let's go inside and say goodnight to the Reids before we go to bed," she told him, tugging him towards the path again.

Castle didn't even bother to protest that, though he was enjoying their walk, and he let her lead the way until they were close to the house. As they were going up the steps he was ahead of her and nearly was struck by the back door to the house, jumping back a little.

"Oh sorry," a man said, his wife behind him. "Nice to meet you," he said before he and the woman went past them down the stairs to the yard.

"Fan?" Beckett asked her husband. She smiled when he nodded and said, "Did you notice-"

"The fact we're all married couples?" Castle asked. "I think it's because this B&B is mostly for married couples." He paused before going inside and then said, " _So that means the rooms have to be_ soundproofed."

Beckett wondered why he'd bothered to speak in Irish if he didn't know the last word but didn't respond to it before she playfully pushed at his shoulder saying, "Just get inside pervert."

Castle was smiling as he went, knowing there was no real threat in her words, and he moved to do as she'd said, closing the door behind them as he reluctantly let her go. "Do we need to say goodnight to the owners?" he asked her.

"We can just wave to them," Beckett replied.

Looking at his wife at that Castle was surprised for a moment before he realized then the extent of her desire. He tried not to think of that as they were passing people making their way to the parlor but when he and Beckett had waved to the owners and called a returning goodnight he couldn't help the rush of excitement that went through him. Going up the stairs they saw the Reids ahead of them and he wondered how they had forgotten saying goodnight to the two as he called to them.

"Hey you're going to bed too?" Rowena asked them as the two caught up to her and her husband.

"Yeah we figure the party will run a little long tomorrow," Beckett said, not looking at her husband as he turned to her at her lie. "So better to get some rest for tomorrow."

"I agree," Rowena said. "Plus we're a little tired after having some problems with Amelia."

"We'll see you tomorrow," Dale said then. "Either before or at the party."

"Night," Castle and Beckett said to the two before they went into their room.

"They are so lying," he told his wife once the door was closed behind them.

"I don't think she was kidding about the problems with their baby," Beckett said in response as she followed him over to the wet bar.

"You want something?" Castle asked her as he looked over the bottles.

"A martini?" Beckett suggested, looking as well.

"I don't think I have any olives," Castle told her. "But the rest I can make."

Beckett walked over to the turret as he began the drink and looked out the windows before saying, "It's raining."

"Is it?" Castle asked, looking up from the shaker.

"I wonder if that couple made it back," Beckett said absently, watching the raindrops falling down the window.

"More than likely," Castle told her before he started to shake the martinis vigorously. "There's nothing like cold and wet to put a damper on the mood."

"The mood," Beckett said with a laugh.

"What do you think we have?" Castle said. "When we're ready?"

"A number of things," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when Castle didn't respond to that and waited for him to join her on the couch where she moved to sit. Taking the glass from her husband she said, "You know I'm right."

"I do but you should know I'm going to study how we are this time," Castle said, sitting with her after he had glanced out the window.

Rolling her eyes as she didn't believe that Beckett said, "You do that."

Studying her Castle put his arm around her shoulders and pulled her against his side, kissing her temple and saying, "Are you sure?"

"About what?" Beckett asked as that seemed to have come out of nowhere.

"Our costumes," Castle said easily. "I just want to make sure you're not being forced into this."

"It's just a dress," Beckett said. "In the end. And I guess I'm treating this party as a test run for it. If I feel uncomfortable… maybe I'll get a flapper costume, to go with your suit still." She looked at her husband and smiled as he seemed to have blanked out. "Don't," she said laughingly, nudging him in the side.

"Sorry," Castle said after he took a sip of his drink.

"You don't think that maybe my dress I have here is revealing in a way?" Beckett told him.

"It doesn't have to be," Castle said, looking at her in slight confusion as they'd already talked about that.

"But it might be," Beckett told him.

Getting what she was trying to tell him Castle closed his eyes and brought up the memory of the dress her costume was based on. At that his eyes flew open and he said, "You're-"

"Your mother asked me about that," Beckett said, knowing he recalled the fact that in the dance the star had been wearing a bra in the open bodice of the dress. "And I told her that I didn't want that kind of neckline; since I'll be wearing it at our party and of course our daughters will see me."

Nodding, Castle said, "So it's modest but not prudish."

"I guess…" Beckett said with a slight shrug. She then smiled and said, "Again, you're a pervert."

"You can't blame me for that," Castle said simply, finishing off the last of his martini. He took her then empty glass and stood to set them aside.

Beckett turned back to the window, watching the rain that by then was trailing down, before she felt her husband's lips against the side of her head. "Hmm we're starting," she said.

At the lack of a question Castle breathed out heavily and then made his way back around the couch to sit next to her. "You're-" he started to say before he suddenly found himself with his wife in his arms, knocking him against the arm of his side of the couch where he lay as she kissed at him a little frantically. He could feel in that what she wanted him to do so he hurried to respond to her and take over the kiss. But it was a little hard to do laying back as he was so he soon moved her until they were sitting up together and he told her, "Are you planning on…"

Beckett couldn't help smiling at his hopeful tone she knew he was trying to hide and then leaned over, pecking him on the lips for a moment before she stood and led him over to the bed where she let go of him. "I'll be right back," she assured him, going into the bathroom and closing and locking the door behind her. She could still feel his intense gaze on her and she turned to the rest of the room, hurrying to begin as she could only imagine what her husband had been thinking with the way he'd stared at her.

Breathing out once after his wife had left him Castle looked around, wondering if he should do anything to prepare for her. But he wasn't exactly sure what he could do so he decided to let his wife choose as he sat on his side of the bed, the one closest to the bathroom door. He wasn't sure how long it was; diverting himself with thoughts of his wife made the time pass quicker; but once he heard the door opening he jumped up to watch her step out. "Kate…" he breathed.

Glancing at him as she passed him Beckett didn't say a word as she climbed up on the bed and then laid back in the middle, letting her husband turn to her with wide eyes. She was wearing a negligee, one that she'd bought specifically for that trip long ago after she'd chosen the fabric for her costume. It was nearly the same color blue as the dress and it was what she'd been looking for purposely, not so much the way it was designed. It clung to her tightly and the bra part was sheer fabric; the secondary reason for her selecting it. She didn't even need to look at it to know that her nipples were straining against the fabric and she smiled, glancing up at her husband as he just stood there. "So, are you going to join me?" she asked him with a slight smirk playing across her lips.

"You don't want to help me along?" Castle asked, giving her a chance to direct things. When she simply shook her head no he breathed out hard before he took off his jacket and threw it over to the dresser. His shirt and trousers he was less careful with and they ended up on the floor before he climbed up on the bed; doing so slowly so she could stop him if she wanted to. But there was no reaction from her so he moved to lie above her, pressing his lower half down to her at the same time he kissed her. They let their tongues duel hungrily before they started to tilt their heads back and forth repeatedly. When they were finally breathless to the point that he knew he could pass out if he kept going he slowly broke off their current kiss and then moved away from her.

It was then that Beckett moved, flipping her husband onto his back and straddling him quickly before she ran her hands over his bare chest. "Hmm I think I'm going to take my time and enjoy this lover," she said, smiling seductively at him while caressing him gently. "Think you will?" she asked him.

"I… maybe," Castle said, trying to gasp for air as he was affected by her touch. He reached up and wrapped his hands around both of her arms before he tried to pull her down to him. "Kate, come on," he begged, not ashamed that he was doing so.

"No I said I was going to pay you back, so I am," Beckett said simply. "But you should remember that I'm going to want to please myself, not just you."

Nodding as for some reason he'd forgotten that Castle nodded and then breathed out shakily as she was running each finger over his skin. When she reached his nipples he said, "You're amazing love," nearly wheezing the words out.

"I know you will be already," Beckett replied. She watched then as he let go of her arms and then ran his hands up from her hips to the sides of her breasts. "Careful," she warned him gently.

"Too much?" Castle asked, reaching over very carefully, inching his fingers towards her nipples.

"A little," Beckett said, relieved when he moved and let go of her though she was a bit unsure for the moment of what to do next. So instead she spoke telling him, "Should I leave these on?" indicating his boxers.

"For now," Castle replied, looking up at her breasts.

"You can," Beckett said with a wide smile. "Just be careful okay?"

"Yeah of course," Castle said, nodding rapidly. He reached up eagerly towards her mounds and gently squeezed them before running his hands down until he had reached her hips. He shuddered heavily and said, "So, you're at an impasse?"

"I am, what do you think I should do?" Beckett asked him. "Start or… what I have in mind?"

At that Castle said, "Why are you asking me? Do what you have in mind already; we should go as far as we can in our foreplay right now."

Beckett couldn't help smiling at the way her husband's tone of voice was so eager and she leaned down to kiss him deeply on the lips before she slowly pulled away. She cupped his face with her hands, gently stroking them before she whispered, "I love being with you like this. No man ever wanted everything you do, they just wanted to hurry, never cared if they were touching me the right way and never cared if I was feeling the same pleasure they were all at the same time."

"There had to have been…" Castle started to say. But when she firmly shook her head no he sighed and then said, "I just want you to feel what I feel for you Kate."

"And so do I Rick," Beckett assured him. She then leaned down and brushed her lips against him before pulling away and moving to tug on the waistband of his boxers. He soon began to help her as he needed to stand next to the bed to get them off. She allowed him to get it off himself, reaching for his erection before he stopped her.

"Not yet, I want to spend more time with… fooling around," Castle told her.

"Do you think…" Beckett began before she pulled him back onto the bed with her and made him lay down where he'd been before. "We could push each other so far as to get off?"

"I think I could easily be worked up again," Castle said. "Just let me, for lack of a better word, play with these."

"Pervert," Beckett told him wryly, seeing in his simple smile that he didn't mind being called that yet again.

Noticing that she wasn't saying yes or no Castle realized that she was leaving that up to him and he shuddered saying, "You?"

"You know how to play," Beckett said, shaking some of her hair back over her right shoulder. "Really well."

"One request," Castle said before she could move her hands. "Together."

"Not yet but I promise you that we will be," Beckett said, getting a sudden idea from that. She moved then and reached down to grasp his length, starting to gently run her hand up and down him slowly. Once she had a rhythm with that she reached down below, stroking at him at the same pace as she was stroking his length soon looking at him to see how he was reacting.

Castle groaned heavily at his wife's touch and he tried to keep his eyes on her while she worked, though it became harder and harder to do as time passed. "Kate, love," he breathed out to her in joy. He looked at her body slightly moving on him and he finally said, the words nearly bursting from him, "I can't wait anymore," and with that he grasped her hips, pulling her up until he was nestled firmly against her folds. Their eyes meeting they both began to thrust against one another, their voices calling out their pleasure instantly as they worked up quickly to their rhythm and continued to do so for as long as it took to reach it.

Beckett tried to keep her husband from going too quickly, able to tell from his frantic motions that he was working out his having to repress himself before. She moved then and just enough so his erection was out from between her legs, cupping it against her before it could rest on his stomach.

"What-" Castle started to say in surprise as he looked at his wife, watching her.

"We would have been finished too soon," Beckett said simply. When he groaned she murmured an apology but then began to run her fingers over him, using her other hand to hold him in place. Eventually she looked down at what she was touching and became a little cautious, running her fingers up and down it gently. She knew it was pleasuring him still, as she could hear his grunts of pleasure while she was doing that.

"Never…" Castle tried to say though he wasn't able to get the words after that out. He grit his teeth for a moment and then said, "Never had a woman who wanted to touch me like that."

"I find that hard to believe," Beckett said absently.

"It's true," Castle said quickly. "They usually just wanted to get to… other things."

"Hmm," Beckett replied, still absent in tone. She looked up at him and reached over to him pressing her damp fingers to his lips. She smiled slightly when he looked at her with wide eyes and said, "I want to see how far I can push you." She bit her lower lip as he took her fingers into his mouth and began to suck them gently before telling him, "How far I can push myself."

Taking her hand then, Castle said, "You can let me go."

"It won't be painful?" Beckett asked him in surprise. He shook his head firmly so she did as he asked, watching his member come to rest on his stomach as he sat up. "So…" she said as they were looking at each other. She was a little startled when her husband suddenly grabbed her and crushed his lips against hers as hard as possible. She was quick to respond to him, cupping his face with her hands as they tilted their heads back and forth with the duel going on between them in their mouths. Just as she thought her lungs were going to explode they were parting together and she panted heavily before her husband was flipping her around on her back. "I was going to…" she started to say before she was gasping as her husband nuzzled her right nipple with his lips.

"It can wait," Castle said, raising himself above her enough to cup that breast with his hand. "But not for long," he finished as he watched his wife's reaction to his thumb gently rolling around the nub through the sheer fabric. He looked over her body and said, "You look amazing, for now."

"For now?" Beckett asked, still able to catch that though her form was awash in pleasure.

"For now," Castle said with a nod. "Until I get you out of this."

"Hopefully soon," Beckett told him. She smiled when he looked to her and she reached up, pulling him down to her before they began to kiss hungrily as he didn't stop fondling either of her breasts.

When they parted and managed to stay apart a little while later Castle moved down to her neck, kissing at it gently a few times before descending further. He was tempted to take her breasts but instead pressed his lips to them here and there before tearing himself to go further down. Once he had reached her abdomen he started to pull up her negligee until he was at the apex of her legs. There he paused and glanced up at her to see if she wanted to stop him. But when he saw that she was merely staring back at him, waiting, he nodded and leaned down kissing around her mound and feeling her shiver in response underneath him. "Kate, love," he breathed as she parted her legs for him at that moment.

Beckett tried the best she could to brace herself for him but the moment his tongue flicked against her clit for the first time she was crying out his name and reaching down for his head at the same time. "Oh god I don't think this… is going to last… for long," she panted heavily as he proceeded to lick and suck at her in earnest. The pleasure was instant and spread all through her body, making her wish for a moment that she hadn't bought the negligee so tight so she could remove it herself. She writhed a little on the bed though Castle was soon after holding her down and as she had said, things didn't last for long before she broke. It was a little sudden; to her; but if she had asked her husband he would have let her know he'd been working on her for some time by then. All she knew though was her release and the way it felt, snaking through every inch of her form and making her call to her husband; begging him for more.

Castle moved away from Beckett as she stopped shaking and undulating and was about to move to slip inside of her body; needing her desperately after that. But before he could she was sitting up and pressing on his shoulders to keep him from stopping her. "You don't-" he started to say. But he cut himself off when she reached down and curled her hand around his erection. A second later she was lowering her head down to him and he lost all protest when her mouth surrounded his length and she proceeded to pleasure him. He tried to last a little longer than she had though that was difficult and he hoped she didn't mind that he just barely made it to that point after she had added her hands to help her mouth. He tried not to fall back on the bed when she pulled away and he said, "Now we…"

Beckett smiled at that and said, "Look at yourself love." When he glanced down she ran her fingernail of her index finger up his half erect length and said, "Give me some time."

"No," Castle said suddenly, abruptly. At her surprised look he told her, "Let me… touch."

"Pervert, we can at least get this off now," Beckett replied easily. She raised her arms for him while he pulled her negligee up and she watched him get off the bed to carefully put it down on the dresser. "So you like that?"

"I don't think you need to ask," Castle said, trying not to attempt to leap onto the bed though he wanted to. "Remember how I told you you looked amazing earlier? Now you look gorgeous," he said to her seriously as he watched her lay back at his approach.

Leaning up slightly on her elbows Beckett kissed him gently on the lips before saying, "You have something in mind already?" At his nod she listened to him whispering in her ear and though she glanced at him she helped him get into the position, her feet on the bed as he was on his hands and knees above her. She reached down to try and help him enter her but he carefully pushed away her hand and she realized that she had relinquished her control to him. But as he thrust inside of her she found that she didn't care in the slightest she'd done so, crying out heavily in pleasure as he filled her in seconds. Looking up at him then she waited for him to move first which he was soon doing and she was quick to respond. Because she was holding herself up all she could do was allow herself to slightly drop before pushing back up. Luckily it wasn't hard for her to accomplish but she became a little frustrated with it as she wasn't able to feel him as well that way.

Keeping his eyes on his wife's body Castle wished he could see where they were joined together. Even more so when he suddenly slipped out of her and ended up sliding against her clit and over her mound with a groan. He saw Beckett breathing out a moan as he still managed to stimulate her that way but he was quick to try and slip back inside of her. Once he had managed he started to move again, feeling her hands reach up to run along his chest. A groan of pleasure left him as she managed to set off a spark of delight which shot down to his groin. He felt his body was on fire with her tight around him and he moved a little harder before he was suddenly slipping out of her yet again. He nearly cursed and tried to get inside of her but without using his hands which didn't work that well.

"Wait," Beckett said before laughing softly though she was frustrated as well as he seemed to be determined to make things work out. "I don't think that one's the best for us," she told him, touching his arm and making him stop.

"I know… like this," Castle said after thinking for a moment. He helped her wrap her legs underneath his arms before he spread his legs as wide as they would go, remaining on his knees. With her pressed close to him it took little effort for them to couple once more and he breathed out in joy feeling much better about that position. They moved together at the same time and after they had done so a few times he reached down, cupping her breasts as firmly as he could. He looked at her and then moved to trace both nipples at the same time, loving the expression of pleasure on her face. He was sure he had a similar look on his face as again he was feeling her surrounding him. He watched her, trying to suppress his pleasure as he wanted to see what he did to her. "I want to… fucking make you come Kate," he told her seriously.

"You will j-just don't stop," Beckett managed to breathe out heavily. She arched her back to press her breasts against his hands and shivered at the brush of his palms against her skin. She reached down then and began to caress his arms, before Castle was moving her hands down to her chest and she allowed him to lead her until they were working together and continued to do so for a while until she couldn't take it any longer as the pleasure was mixing with him inside of her. "I… oh god Rick," she cried out softly, turning her head to the side and biting her lower lip. She moved her hands to allow him to continue but since her eyes were closed she didn't see that he was moving down as well. She gasped and jumped slightly when their fingers met at her clit and she couldn't help smiling a bit as they met each other's eyes. "You want to push me that far?" she whispered to him.

"I'm trying to distract myself," Castle replied with a slight grunt. He breathed out as they worked together for a few minutes before he moved her hand as well as his and then moved to lay above her, needing to stop fucking her to do so. He whispered an apology after he began to move again but was relieved when she tightened her legs around him to be able to match his pace and leaned down to kiss her deeply. When they'd parted he murmured against her lips, "Why I wanted to move," he told her lovingly before he was kissing her yet again. Their lips crushing against each other and their tongues meeting he had to wonder if she was feeling the same as he was still, hoping that she was as he moved eventually down to her neck when they had to breathe.

"You're… I'm going to, to come…" Beckett breathed out to him, their bodies moving so fast and hard that she had to wonder how he wasn't slipping out of her again. But she couldn't complain about the pace as it allowed the friction between them to become rough and the sensation of it was making her entire body burn. She had her arms wrapped around him and proceeded to stroke at the back of his head and neck, feeling him shudder against her at her touch. She then pulled him back up to her and murmured against his lips, "Slow." She wasn't surprised when he jerked slightly against her at that and she had to make him stop before leading him. She closed her eyes tightly in pleasure as that allowed her to feel his length against her more deliberately. "Oh god… yes," she cried out, tightening her legs around him, starting to beat her heels against the small of his back and ass.

"Going to come for me?" Castle asked her, staring at her intently as he could see for himself the answer to his question. He leaned down and kissed wildly at her neck and shoulders before he said, "Tell me how to fuck you until I come," nearly commanding her with his tone. He wasn't surprised when she pulled away to look at him and he corrected himself saying, "Until we come, please Kate."

Wanting to point out to him that it was more than likely she'd end up first Beckett couldn't reply as something in the way he spoke and the way he moved within her made her give up and allow her orgasm to take over. It rushed through her and the waves of ecstasy that sought every part of her were strong but not as much as what she felt where they were joined. She held Castle tightly to her as she called his name over and over and soon felt him starting to join her. Her name from his lips echoed in her ears along with her rapidly beating heart before she felt him bury his face into her neck while they rode out the last of their climaxes. It wasn't at the same time but she didn't mind the final thrusts from her husband before he was shuddering and nearly laying directly on her. "Hmm, sorry I couldn't coach you through the last few seconds," she said teasingly when she felt strong enough to speak.

Grunting slightly in acknowledgement of that Castle raised his head and said, "How many times have we tried taking that all the way through?"

Beckett couldn't answer at first as her husband was pulling away from her and she waited until he had finished before saying, "I think that's the third time… or fourth." She then sighed and said, "I don't know if we should keep trying," sitting up at his direction. "Though it's fun to."

Shuddering at the slightly seductive tone to her voice, Castle leaned over and kissed her as deeply as he could; though he didn't let it last for that long. When they had parted he said, "Do you think…"

"Yes," Beckett said immediately when he trailed off. She smiled when he glanced at her in surprise and she told him, "That was just one. What about you?" She was a little surprised when he only nodded in response and she pulled him on her before they fell back, kissing as they both seemed to have forgotten their desire to be together again. She wasn't sure when they moved so she was on top of him but after a number of rough, hungry kisses she found herself laying on his chest. "You have something in mind," she told him, not asking as she knew already.

Reaching over to his nightstand Castle grabbed his phone and after going through it for a moment showed her what he had thought of. He couldn't help it, reaching up and stroking her hair gently while she was studying the picture from one of their books and he said, "It can be done."

Smiling at him Beckett said wryly, "I know there's no need to worry about our slipping out this way." She then moved to set the phone back and sitting up pulled him with her saying, "I'm interested in seeing how long we keep it this time."

"We'll just move around," Castle said, speaking quickly as he was sitting in the middle of the bed with his legs spread wide. He brought his wife up to him and once she was close he lifted her a little until he could place her on his lap. He was sure the idea of the position had aroused him but as she started to move; her feet flat on the bed behind him; he hoped she realized it was also because he knew he was going to be with her.

Trying to move as fast as she could with Castle's hands on her back Beckett let herself lean back then and just feel. She had a reasonably fast rhythm with him by then so she could concentrate on how her husband felt so deeply in her and moving with her. They pressed as tightly together as they could when their bodies met and she gasped every time that happened as she could feel him yet again more deliberately. She wanted to slow down to make that sensation even stronger but her husband was moving hard and fast against her though she knew it was difficult for him without any steady kind of support so she remained as she was. She was holding onto his arms to use that for more support but she knew that her husband was right. Their upper bodies were further apart than either of them preferred so she had to wonder; briefly with her trying to withstand what he was making her feel; how long they'd be remaining as they were. "We should… have timed… this," she told him, a brief smile lifting up her lips as she looked at him.

"Never that long," Castle said as the instant their eyes met they were moving, him closing his legs and wrapping his arms around her as she got onto her knees. He was groaning as the entire time they'd never parted but soon she was set and they were moving again. He thought he may have breathed out in relief at that but he was focused on running his hands over what he could reach of her body and wasn't sure. She was still tight and eventually he could feel her working her muscles around him at the same time. "Fuck," he said huskily as he watched her. "This is why I want you," he told her, not sure how he was able to speak without stammering heavily. "But do something for me?"

"Oh god Rick I think at this… point I'd do anything," Beckett said in response as her husband suddenly made them stop moving. She had closed her eyes in frustration, not wanting him to see that, but was soon opening them again when she felt her husband nibbling against the side of her neck. "What?" she asked, meaning to sound impatient but instead sounding heavily pleasured.

Castle did his best not to smile at that and said, "Wear that for me again."

"Pervert," Beckett said, wrapping her arms around him before she kissed him as hard as she could. With him a little distracted she proceeded to rock her hips down on him, building up her speed as she knew that would make him forget that they'd been remaining still; in case he'd wanted to stay that way. She soon felt his arms wrapping around her and knew that he had taken her answer and appreciated her starting to move again. She wasn't sure when they started to nibble at each other's lower lips; taking turns; but since hers already felt pleasantly swollen she assumed it must have been a while after they'd begun to move. She was startled at the idea of not being aware of anything for that time but knew that wasn't exactly true. Through the entire time the white hot pulsation of her body surrounding Castle's; his length throbbing inside of her at the same time; was with her and she knew she was never going to forget that as she pulled him up so he was looking at her.

Staring into her eyes, Castle was breathing hard and studying her expression said, "You're… you feel so good love."

"I know so do you," Beckett said, angling her hips as she continued to rock against him. The sound of their hips smacking was loud as they seemed to fall into each other and began kissing but she soon got used to the noise as she was trying to fight against her husband's tongue. That fight dragged out into several before she pressed her forehead against him and moved more calculatingly so they could feel each other much better. She was breathing hard then as she glanced down when he went to her breasts and proceeded to take them with his mouth. Her eyes slid closed when he began to suckle at her right nipple, his hand fondling at her left. She breathed out his name in warning before he suddenly stopped and said, "Not yet?"

"No we will just… a little more," Castle said, pulling away from her long enough to say that. He took her breasts vigorously that time, feeling her fingers digging into his head as he was a little wildly going back and forth between them. He wasn't sure when Beckett started to move again but his body thrust with her of its own accord. He didn't mind that at all though his desire to drag things out just a little longer was in danger he soon realized as he could feel the pulsating of his erection was getting stronger. He stopped them again and that time kissed his wife as hungrily as he could before they slowly parted. "I want more Kate," he warned her before he began their rhythm yet again.

"You'll have it," Beckett promised him fervently. His kiss then let her know that he understood that she was saying as well she wanted the same. Her grasp on him was tightening every time she moved down on him and she moaned in pleasure repeatedly until her back was arching in her husband's hands. "Oh… Rick, please, I'm coming, please… let me feel you… inside me," she cried. She trailed off from there and then began calling his name mainly because he began to orgasm with her and they were grasping to one another almost for dear life as they felt themselves joining together so intensely within her body. She let time pass unnoticed in her rapture until she slumped against his body, feeling him holding her as he wasn't stopping.

Hearing the soft moans of his wife Castle wasn't sure what exactly made him do so but he soon pushed her down on the bed and slammed back into her body as she cried out in shock and then dug her nails into his shoulders. They were moving so fast that he almost forgot to kiss her, wanting that as a kind of apology for entering her so abruptly, but he was soon doing so and her response to him let him know that she was fine with him working her up again. And it soon became her climaxing yet again as he didn't let himself ease up until she was, hearing his name on her lips before he was joining her. His entire body was completely ablaze, feeling her around him, under him, and he wanted to tell her again that he wanted more. When they finally stopped moving; at the same time; he groaned and nearly collapsed on top of her saying, "I had to."

"Hmm I know I could tell," Beckett murmured to him, kissing his temple. She sighed when he carefully pulled away from her and hurried to press against his side before pressing her cheek against his shoulder. "That doesn't count as two by the way," she said after they were silent for a while.

"I was hoping it wouldn't," Castle said, joking as they'd long before established that they weren't counting their orgasms. "What if I'd gotten you off three times? Would that have counted?"

Sighing in a mock suffering tone of voice Beckett sat up and then reached up to her hair, pulling it into a ponytail that she then let go once it was draped over her right shoulder. She smiled at her husband as he hurried to follow her, his lips descending onto the skin of her other shoulder immediately. "It won't count," she told him as he held her by her upper arms from behind. "But you honestly think you can do that? You barely could get me off twice," she said, looking back at him the best she could.

"Barely?" Castle said, raising his head and looking at her. "You…" He decided very quickly not to continue trying to respond to her verbally and instead grabbed her, pulling her and a blanket that had been on top of the bed. He took her to the couch in the turret and with his wife's help put the blanket on top of it before he sat back.

"You're-" Beckett started to say when he pulled her over onto him. She gasped as they came together yet again and she moaned deeply in pleasure when she began to move on him as hard as she could immediately.

Wrapping their arms around each other Castle and Beckett proceeded to kiss yet again as they went back to working together to fulfill their challenge for that night.

* * *

Turning onto his side Castle ran his hand up and down Beckett's side saying, "Think we'll even bother getting up tomorrow?"

Smiling at that Beckett told him, "We have one more time you know."

"That's true," Castle said with a slight nod. "You want to try, you're not tired?"

"Hmm not really, we've been laying here for… a while, I'm well rested so you know," Beckett replied. "But we will have to get up before lunch."

"I remember, the girls," Castle said simply. "What will we tell them about today?"

"I think you mean yesterday," Becket said since by then it was nearly one. "And we'll talk about the dinner… after I guess the walk?"

"I think that's about all we can tell them," Castle said, laughing slightly. "But that's alright I'm sure they'll have more to tell us."

"Or they might want to speak quickly," Beckett said. "Because-"

"Mari will be over," they said at the same time.

Smiling at him Beckett leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips before she started to pull away. But something made her pause before she got too far and she leaned back into him, kissing him deeper. When she touched his shoulders she was pleased when he came to her immediately before they had to carefully part.

"God, you're like a fucking siren," Castle breathed to her. "A good siren," he added hurriedly. He smiled when she laughed softly and then said in a rush, "I love you, adore you Kate."

"I love you too Rick," Beckett said caressing his cheek with her hand. She then gently ran her fingertips against his jaw before going down to his lips. As he kissed at them individually she felt her desire for him beginning to rise and she said to him, "And I think I want you again."

"You think?" Castle asked, pretending to look surprised. He then became serious and leaned down to kiss her tenderly before he pulled away to say. "Any chance I might make you surer about that?"

"Maybe…" Beckett said teasingly to him before she wrapped her legs around him tightly.

"Vixen," Castle breathed. " _I want you_ ," he told her as their lips brushed together when he pressed their foreheads together.

" _I need you love_ ," Beckett told him, forgetting all about her feigning uncertainty with him pressing against her; more specifically his erection.

With that Castle had her permission and her arousal was assured to him so he began, continuing to kiss her passionately as much as he could until he was making love to her. He didn't want to stop, promising himself that he was going to show her how much he loved and needed her as he could feel her trying to do the exact same thing. Their I love yous came sporadically but he knew she wanted it to be verbal not just physical as they did everything they could to each other as the night continued without their notice.


	4. Can't Cover What I Am

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics in this chapter are from the song Your Love is Forever by George Harrison, from his eponymous album.
> 
> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Abandoned Love by Bob Dylan, the version I took from is from an unreleased version sung by George Harrison.

Hearing the sound of the bed moving Beckett glanced over to see that her husband was getting out from under the covers and she smiled before turning back to the table saying, "Morning love. I was about to brew some coffee." She looked at the selection of cups next to it and then said, "Do you want any!" ending on an exclamation as all of a sudden she was grabbed from behind and pulled back against her husband. "Rick," she gasped in her surprise as she could feel through his shirt that he hadn't bothered throwing anything on his still naked body.

"I find myself preferring my shirts on you," Castle told her, reaching under the shirt that she hadn't bothered to button. It was what had caught his eye when she had turned to him; catching a peek at the curve of her left breast; and made him rush to her as he'd woken already aroused.

"The coffee?" Beckett asked, trying to keep her voice steady though the feel of her husband's hands roaming underneath his shirt over her body were making that difficult.

"No," Castle said simply before he pressed his hand directly on her mound, pulling her back against him. While his left was gently massaging her right breast, his right was searching carefully for her clit and when he found it he said, "What were you dreaming about Kate?"

Trying to hold herself steady and finding that a losing battle Beckett said, "I was remembering us," as she could feel from his touch how swollen the nub was.

"Standing here?" Castle asked. When she nodded once he shuddered at the thought of her becoming aroused from that so fast and he reached for the hem of the shirt, pulling it out of the way so he could press firmly against her ass as she gasped and nearly leaned forward in his arms.

"Here?" Beckett asked in surprise though she was pressing back against him and was prepared to lean over on the table if he wanted her to do that.

Castle carefully made his wife turn around before he pushed his shirt off of her shoulders and parted it as far it would go. He was tempted to then rip it off of her before setting her down on the tabletop with it beneath her but then studied the table.

"I don't think it's that sturdy," Beckett said, suddenly kissing at his jaw.

"Then do you mind the bed again?" Castle asked her.

Beckett looked at him and then smiled, kissing him lovingly on the lips before she led the way around the fireplace to the bed. She paused to let him take off the shirt but was startled when he didn't do so. She smiled at him before lying back as he reached for her, knowing that he was going to pick her up if she didn't move herself. Laying back she said, "My arms are a little trapped."

"You won't need them yet," Castle said. He couldn't help smiling at the realization that filled her eyes and he leaned down to brush his lips over hers before he moved down her body. He had done the same thing many times before when they had made love and she wore his shirt so he wasn't surprised when she soon helped him down to the apex of her legs. "After this…" he said.

Smiling when he looked up at her Beckett said, "You can, you have my permission." She tried not to laugh at his obvious joy at her words and soon after she didn't have to worry about doing that when her husband's right hand reached in between her legs to carefully spread them. She clenched her hands tightly as he began to lick at her clit after that and started to roll his tongue around it while she was crying out in pleasure.

Castle soon felt Beckett's fingers sliding through his hair and holding onto him tightly while he moved then to lap at her folds, tasting her arousal. He sighed a little bit and when she moaned he did that again. He wasn't sure when exactly he began to hum against her skin but was doing so continuously as she seemed to enjoy it greatly judging by her vocal reactions. He finally stopped moving up and down between her swollen nub and entrance and slipped his tongue in her. Unable to help the shudder that rushed through him at the taste of her he started to move back and forth, reaching up soon after to rub at her clit with his right hand while his left went further up. It was then he had to be grateful that his limbs were as long as they were since he was able to firmly cup her breast under his palm.

Her eyes closed tightly Beckett took in everything that she could feel her husband doing and she felt as if it was doubled in intensity with her sight not being used. Squirming slightly in her pleasure as time went on she started to move her hips though her legs were over Castle's shoulders and he was holding her down. She was surprised when he didn't stop her and she continued to do so, finding that the motion seemed to help him dip a little bit deeper inside her. She could feel his tongue almost wriggling and she gasped, pushing herself up onto her elbows before she could stop herself to watch him.

Glancing up at her Castle pulled away then and using his hand said, "Do you want me to slow down?"

"No don't stop!" Beckett said impatiently. She wanted to push him back down to her but he beat her to that by going back himself. As she felt him lapping at her again she shuddered at his enjoyment in her that she could so obviously feel. When he touched her clit she suddenly reached down to it and joined him in rolling their fingers around it. "Oh… god," she gasped.

Before he could descend to her entrance again Castle told her, "Tell me how you feel love, tell me what to do."

Exhaling hard Beckett nodded though her husband couldn't see that and she began to moan as his tongue slipping into her was like a burst of sensation that translated into warmth. She told him that while at the same time she directed his fingers against her swollen nub. "Wait, s-stop," she said, stammering heavily. When he did; looking at her in complete mystification; she told him, "Do what you want here."

Looking at her breasts that she had motioned to somewhat since her arms were still close to her body because of the shirt Castle nodded before he was sitting up on his knees. He then helped her out of his shirt tossing it aside before he kissed her deeply. Slipping his tongue inside of her mouth he was a little startled when she curled her own around him almost hungrily. Shuddering so hard that he broke them apart he asked her, "You don't-"

" _Hurry_ ," Beckett said, emphasizing the word as she lay back and took him with her. When he immediately took her right nipple with his mouth and started to suckle hungrily at it she caressed the back of his head in a halfhearted attempt at a distraction. She was moaning deeply while his hand stroked at her other breast and she suddenly felt his hips pressed against her own. She groaned as he did at the same time around her mound and she grasped him tightly before she wrapped her legs around him to allow him to do that for a bit longer. Finally she made him stop, pulling him away from her. She wasn't surprised to see the frustrated expression on his face and brushing her lips against him she whispered, "As soon as you're finished." She was pleased when he nodded and then kissed her hard before descending to her sex again. His tongue on her folds right away she slung her legs over his shoulders and started to move up against him again, wanting to make sure she was pleasured so she in turn could do the same for him.

Using both his mouth and hand again Castle tried the best he could to push her steadily to the edge, not wanting to rush her but wanting to feel her losing control. He was tempted to try and draw things out but with the way she was moving he knew that wasn't going to be possible. So carefully he raised her hips and tried to double his speed since he had to stop fondling her clit. Listening to her verbal reaction he could soon tell that his wife was still enjoying things and he realized quickly after that she was nearly there.

Breathing out heavily Beckett couldn't help the moan that escaped her lips as her husband went up to her clit and seemed to play a little with it before moving back down. Her heart beating wildly after everything she was feeling she found she couldn't stop the natural reaction of her body and she climaxed. It was rougher than she expected but guessed that the pause to take off his shirt and his moving up and down might have helped. But the thought was a brief one as shortly after she was lost to the ecstasy that was making her feel like she was on fire and making her reach down to her own clit while she called her husband's name repeatedly.

Feeling his wife's fingers near his forehead Castle shuddered as he knew without looking what she was doing and he worked over her the best he could until she was still. Breathing hard as he pulled away soon after he said, "I can't-"

"Just… your mouth," Beckett cut him off with. She wasn't surprised when there was no reaction from him except to descend back to her clit. She cried out heavily in pleasure at the feel of his tongue sweeping over her, trying to seek out what made her react the most. She allowed him to do that until she said, "Okay, come here!"

Hearing her tone Castle knew she wasn't kidding about being ready for him and he moved, trying not to ram inside of her. He failed but at his wife's cry of pleasure he knew she didn't mind. He started to thrust within her and did so as hard as he could, apologizing to her before she kissed him. He groaned at that and the feel of her around him, still throbbing in the aftermath of her orgasm. He wasn't sure how long he ended up taking but soon he was losing control of his body, moving almost wildly before he almost yelled her name. He felt her holding him her fingers on his shoulders until finally they were tightening on him. He guessed she had climaxed as well but he couldn't tell as his head was nearly spinning with his desire finally being slaked. After he'd stopped thrusting he tried to remain above her and asked, "Okay?"

"Yes," Beckett said, smiling a little as she knew what he meant by that. "It wasn't as forceful this time around; but still good."

"Not surprised," Castle said as he carefully withdrew from her and then moved to lay next her.

In his arms Beckett brushed her fingertips across his lips and said, "It's an interesting sensation feeling you come. I see why you like to do that with me."

"So you can't hate me for doing that," Castle said to her teasingly.

Rolling her eyes Beckett told him firmly, "I don't hate you for doing that it's just weird to feel a thick mass not throbbing as hard as I am." She smiled widely when her husband seemed to shudder all over his body and said, "It's what it feels like."

"Yeah," Castle said absently, running his hand over her skin. "So it's…" he started to say before reaching over to his phone. "It's nearly nine, what would you like to do now?"

"To tell you the honest truth a bath," Beckett replied. "And without it turning sexual."

"You sure? It would-" Castle started to say.

"Not until we're back out there," Beckett said.

"Can you not walk now?" Castle said jokingly as he watched her sit up and moved to run his hand over her hip as she did so.

"You know the one great thing about yoga is that it makes you very limber," Beckett told him with a slight smirk.

With her hair draped over the left side of her face and shoulder Castle was rendered speechless for a moment before he gulped audibly. "It does… wait, you want that one tonight?" he asked.

"Do you mind stopping?" Beckett asked in response.

"No but I would like to stay in bed with you," Castle said. "Ah, I should have realized that immediately," he said when he studied the expression on her face and was able to tell what she wanted, knowing she was expecting them to continue before they had to get up. He sat up then and kissed her deeply, holding her tightly as she responded before he pulled away when they needed to breathe. "Morning love," he told her with a slight smirk as she seemed to be recovering from that.

"Morning," Beckett said, rolling her eyes though she was smiling. She then leaned in to kiss him again, wrapping her arms around his neck as tightly as she could before they fell together back to the bed.

Castle was a little startled at that, since he had been ready to take the bath she was talking about, but decided that if she wanted to wait a little he would do so. When they eventually parted he went straight to her neck before Beckett could stop him and proceeded to kiss around her pulse that he could feel was racing. He used that to calm down and pulling back said, "Good?"

Sighing, though a slight smile was turning up the corners of her lips, Beckett sat up with him before he stopped her from getting up with a kiss. "Now you don't want to-" she began.

"I'll be back," Castle said, giving her lips a quick kiss before he got off the bed and then hurried into the bathroom.

Beckett couldn't help smiling at that but soon she was looking out the window nearest the bed as she recalled what had happened since she'd woken up only an hour before. When Castle had come to her at the table she had just gotten up so it was a slight shock to go so directly into their lovemaking. She shook herself then and looked to see it wasn't raining and since she could see the sky from where she sat she guessed it wouldn't for a while. "Rick," she called.

"It's almost ready," Castle responded quickly.

"No I'm just wondering if you still want to go to Shirley," Beckett said.

"I thought we were," Castle replied, coming out to the doorway to find her looking outside. "Did you want to stay now?"

"I'm just wondering…" Beckett began before she looked at him. "I just had the idea that we could have had your mother drive over with girls but…"

"A little late for that," Castle said as he went to her side of the bed. When she nodded he said, "I would like to go still, we've got a few things still to get for Christmas."

Beckett couldn't help smiling at that; since she had gotten together with him she found herself shopping for the holiday earlier than she normally did; and then said, "I'm not surprised you mentioned that. And we'll go but first…" She had trailed off in the expectation of getting off the bed but when her husband was suddenly picking her up she cried out. "I can walk," she told him wryly.

"I didn't doubt it when you mentioned the words yoga and limber," Castle replied as he went around the bed to the bathroom. "But still."

Trying not to laugh at his abrupt end to what he was saying Beckett lowered her legs into the full tub as he held her above it and said, "I'm proud of you," since from his touch she could tell he was controlling himself.

"I know," Castle said. "Really though," he told her as he then stepped in himself since she was still standing; waiting for him. "I figure the bed's better anyway."

Not responding to that Beckett got on her knees once he was sitting and turning to him said, "You think that we'll do much after this?"

"You don't want to," Castle stated instead of asking.

"I might be too relaxed for anything else," Beckett told him, trying not to smile.

"Nice try," Castle said wryly after he had studied her for a moment. "But I leave it up to you of course."

"It should be both of us deciding," Beckett said.

"I really am listening to you," Castle told her as she had remained that entire time nearly at the other end of the tub. "I don't want to have to clean up water all over the floor."

"I'm fine where I am," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when her husband then reached out to her, pulling her towards him before she sat back against his chest. "I wasn't trying to get you to do that," she told him once she was settled.

"I knew," Castle said easily, leaning over and pressing his lips against the side of her head. "But I hate you being that far away."

"Hmm, you're getting soft Rick," Beckett said, letting the warmth of the water and her husband's body against her lull her. She wasn't surprised when he started to kiss at her shoulders and she made a brief motion as if to move since she remembered her hair was down. But when her husband held her still she decided it wouldn't matter that much if the ends got wet. She soon turned around and kissed him, wrapping her arms tightly around his neck while he positioned her to sit on his lap. Though it was a little crowded for her in that position she didn't move as she was ignoring her slight discomfort by kissing him hard while they continued into a second and third. When they stopped after the last one she smiled at him and said, "This isn't going to help."

"You mean me?" Castle asked.

Shaking her head Beckett then took his hand and moved it down under the water until it was between her legs. From the expression on her husband's face she knew he could feel the warmth of her arousal and she bit her lower lip for a moment telling him, "I can't help it."

"Neither can I," Castle assured her since he knew that she was able to feel his erection. "But let's wait, drag things out to see what we want once we're out of here."

Beckett glanced at him at that but then smiled and leaned against him as she looked down to the other end of the tub. "We're nearly finished with the girls," she said, looking up at him to see if he could tell what she was doing saying that.

"I know I still think we should upgrade their hobby horses to real ponies," Castle commented.

"And I still am saying the same thing I did the first time you suggested this Rick," Beckett responded quickly. "We'll wait and see if we should get them a horse when they're twelve."

"Alright but can I add one thing to that?" Castle said. When his wife nodded he said, "You choose them."

"You're not that bad with horses either Rick," Beckett told him. She then said, "They'll want them."

"Yeah but I guess we shouldn't assume things about them," Castle told her. He could feel her gaze and said, "I know crazy that I would do that. But since they're our daughters they're going to want to keep riding."

The two were silent for a long period of them before they said together, "I want to go riding tomorrow."

Looking up at her husband Beckett smiled and said, "I guess we know what we're doing when we leave."

"Strange we're not staying longer," Castle commented, pressing his cheek against her head. "Though this isn't the shortest we've stayed."

"Hmm," Beckett said. When she felt her husband pulling away she was quick to tell him, "I'm not falling asleep just enjoying this."

"Me too," Castle said. "We don't often stay this calm do we?"

Smiling Beckett said, "It's a bit difficult to."

"I'll agree with you on that," Castle said. He then watched in surprise as his wife moved away from him and watched her get on her knees, resting her arms on the edge of the tub. "Uncomfortable?" he asked as he got onto his knees but faced her.

"No but I think my leg was falling asleep," Beckett said with a smile. She turned to him and said, "I'm about ready to get out."

"Me too," Castle said reassuringly. He then leaned over and kissed her but very briefly before they were pulling away from one another. He saw her move towards him at the same time he was doing but froze at the same time she did. He laughed and shook his head saying, "Come on." Following her out then he paused to pull the plug out of the drain before he dried her off. He wasn't about to let her dry him but she slapped his hands away and as she was doing so he waved them in the air in mock pain telling her, "I need these love."

"You're going to need them now," Beckett told him simply before she then roughly pulled him out to the room.

Castle was a little startled at how forceful his wife was but followed her easily to the bed and onto it. "You're-" he began before they were kissing. He was able to tell just from that what she wanted and as he pressed her back onto her pillow he could feel his heart thudding in his chest; excitement growing. What they ended up doing for nearly ten minutes then was kiss one another; alternating between passionate, rough ones before they were quick and gentle. When they parted and stayed apart they smiled at one another and he said, "You're still surprised?"

As she knew he was referring to fact that she had once told him; early in their relationship when they'd spent a large amount of time kissing while naked on his bed back in his loft and hadn't made love; that she was surprised he could control himself that much Beckett said, "I am, there's a lot that could push you."

"A lot…" Castle said, his eyes trailing down her body. He nearly jumped when she took his hand and after she had pressed her lips to his fingers curled them around her left breast. He squeezed gently as soon as she had let him go, loving the way she sighed and arched her back against him a little. He then began to caress her watching her closely as he was doing so to gauge what she particularly reacted to. It was why he knew what to do to pleasure her and as he thought of that he said, "Mind if I just touch this time?"

Beckett looked up at him as he stopped touching her and said, "Do you really need to ask?"

"I'm only planning on touching," Castle reiterated.

Studying him Beckett nodded and watched as he moved to lie next to her. She was about to move when her husband wrapped his left arm around her; having pushed her gently to the middle of the bed so he could do that; and then reached down to her breasts. She heard something between a moan and a gasp escape her lips then as he started to rub her nipples between his thumb and index finger and told him, "You're… just this?"

"I'm not going to move," Castle said, since he usually broke and would start using his mouth along with his fingers. But watching her in the tub he was sure of what he wanted to do so he slid his hand down her body until he had reached her mound, looking into her eyes.

"This is wrong," Beckett told him suddenly.

"What?" Castle asked, slightly stunned.

"I have something else in mind but we will use our hands," Beckett told him. When he just stared at her she leaned over and kissed him gently on the lips before pulling back saying, "You don't want to?"

"No, I mean yes, I do," Castle said in a rush, letting her go to allow her to sit up. He followed her and then sat with her straddling his lap though there was enough of a space in between them for them to reach one another. He didn't move first, since Beckett was slapping away his hands before they could do so, and he looked on as she firmly grasped his erection in her hands. "When I-" he started to say.

"You'll be in me," Beckett said simply.

"Vixen," Castle breathed, reaching down to cover her breasts with his hands before sliding them down together to her sides. Though he had to deal with the pleasure of Beckett slowly stroking at him he reached around her body until he was grasping her ass and he then pulled her even closer. "I had an idea," he said as she paused at that to gasp and then look at him questioningly. "An epiphany."

"And are you going to share with me or not because I'm-" Beckett started to say a little more sharply than she wanted to as she was having to repress her desire. She was cut off when her husband crushed his lips to hers and she moaned deeply, wrapping her arms around him tightly to hold onto him though it meant letting him go between them.

Castle tried not to grunt in disappointment when he felt his erection come to a rest against his stomach. But he pushed that aside as it was his fault she wasn't holding him anymore and he kissed her back as hard as he could until they slowly pulled away. "Keep going," he murmured to her.

Beckett moved back to look into his eyes and saw what he wanted as she stared into the blue pools. She then bit her lower lip hard for a moment before a smile then spread across her lips. When he looked startled she pressed her lips against him and reached down again to take his length with her hand. As he had insinuated to her with nothing more than a look she pressed him against her clit before she paused and shared a glance with him.

With that, Castle and Beckett moved until he was inside of her and they began to thrust wildly against one another as they kissed deeply. They lost all track of time before they were finally orgasming together, nearly at the same time, and were calling each other's names. Once they had stopped they were trembling and soon moved to lie down, still connected to each other as they held on tightly to one another.

"Wasn't planning on that," Castle told her as he was stroking her back.

"We should have expected it," Beckett said before she smiled and ran her fingers over his lips. "I love you," she murmured seriously to him.

Holding her hand up to him Castle pressed his lips against her fingertips before he moved down to kiss her palm and then the inside of her wrist, watching her shiver in pleasure at that. "I love you too Kate," he told her, moving her onto her back. "I adore you."

Crying out softly as her husband was moving just barely inside of her Beckett moved and brought him with her as she lay on her back. "Fuck me love, _please_."

"Anything you want Kate," Castle told her seriously as he wasn't kidding. He began to do so and he led them in that bout managing to keep them in one position before they came, kissing her body and pleasuring her however he could. When they had stopped he remained nearly laying on her as she held him in place and then told her, "Did you set an alarm?"

"The same as you did," Beckett told him smiling and then kissing him lovingly. "But check."

Castle carefully moved away from his wife before he went to her side of the bed, reaching for her phone. He was able to rapidly discern that she'd set her alarm for eleven fifteen and checking the time as well saw that they had nearly an hour and a half. As he was looking at the screen he soon felt her kissing at the back of his left shoulder and he was about to turn around when she was reaching over and grasping his member, stroking at him before he grabbed her to stop her. Rolling over to her he held her hands and pushed her hard onto her back saying, "We've got… time," trailing off as he was looking over her body.

Beckett was nearly breathless with the expression on her husband's face, hunger prevalent in his features before she said, "Then take it."

Looking up at her Castle was a little startled at how forceful her voice was until he moved to press his hips against her. "Still?" he asked.

Unable to help smirking slightly at her husband Beckett told him, "Always."

With her legs wrapping tightly around his waist, Castle grunted a little as they were soon pressed tightly against each other and then said, "Always love."

After they had exchanged a deep kiss the two were making love together, slipping into fucking one another easily as they kept kissing and caressing each other's bodies. When they were close to the edge they stopped at the same time and with a hungry kiss, parted before they lay back.

"God… I hate doing this," Castle said, breathing hard as he held his wife on his left arm. It was slightly bowed and his fingertips were brushing against her shoulder, trying to use the pleasure in the silky texture of her skin to make up for not being inside of her; though it wasn't enough.

"We've only done this a couple times," Beckett said, though she couldn't help the frustration that laced her voice. "Let's not make a habit of it though," she told him, touching his erection that seemed to look painful to her. Staring at it for a few minutes she made up her mind and said, "That's the shortest we've spent."

"I know," Castle replied, helping her onto him and groaning as she moaned when their bodies joined together again.

After Beckett had leaned down to kiss him they were moving again and that time they didn't stop until they were both climaxing and roughly together. When they'd stopped she carefully moved before she lay against his side, pressing tightly against him. "I think that was enough," she told him, looking up at him.

Castle reached over carefully before he found her phone on the nightstand, checking the time and saying, "Yeah forty minutes." At that he held Beckett to him as she turned onto her side and they kissed deeply before he pulled away from her. "Are you going to wear this tonight?" he asked, reaching up with his free hand and touching her pendant that was above her right breast.

"I am the color of the dress makes it stand out," Beckett said. She then said, "Though it seems a bit much considering who I'll be."

"After a heist?" Castle suggested. When Beckett laughed softly at that he leaned over and kissed her tenderly on the lips before pressing his forehead against hers.

"I think," she then said as they settled down to get more comfortable. "That we should have something to drink."

"You're thirsty?" Castle asked. When she nodded he kissed her and then got up, knowing she was watching him while he pulled on his pajama pants. Turning to her he said, "Is it right to call you perverted?"

"If you want but remember that I can let you sleep out in the turret," Beckett replied quickly as she pushed herself up enough to reach him as he leaned over to her.

"Empty threat Kate, I can tell," Castle told her before he kissed her. Running his hand over her hair he gently ran his fingers through her locks before he pulled away and then kissed her rapidly again. He went to the table and after he'd set the first cup of coffee to brew he turned back to the bed, having to lean over a little bit. "You don't have a robe?" he asked as he saw that she was grabbing his shirt that had ended up hanging off one of the corners of her nightstand.

"I forgot it," Beckett said jokingly. When her husband just looked at her she said, "I didn't think I'd need it."

"No you don't," Castle told her, eyeing her appreciatively. He then had to get the mug of coffee that was finished and start the second one before he watched his wife preparing her drink. "You know…" he said, shaking the table a little. "You were right; this wouldn't have held us up."

"You want to try and see?" Beckett asked, sipping from her coffee. She watched in amusement as he spilled the sugar he'd been about to put in his mug and smirked before saying, "I'm not kidding."

"It'd have to be… fast," Castle said, looking at her. When she took another sip and then handed him her mug he took the two and set them on the bar before rushing back to her.

When she was wrapped up in her husband's arms Beckett wanted to comment about the fact that he seemed to be forgetting the table. But he was kissing her so hard and so passionately that when they parted she said, "You're… good god you're insatiable," as she could feel how erect he was then through his pajama pants. She gasped then as her husband then reached below his shirt to run his fingers deliberately between her legs making her shudder in pleasure.

"So are you it turns out," Castle said, his fingers damp almost instantly. He kissed her deeply before he pulled back and then spread apart the shirt, fondling at her breasts a little until she grabbed his hands. "No? Really?" he asked.

"Hurry," Beckett told him. She had half expected him to put her on top of the table but when he turned her around to face it she leaned over and then helped him take off his shirt before she threw it in front of them. As he entered her she realized that he had been thinking of doing that for some time and she quickly began to move with him as they worked up to the point where they were going as fast as they could.

Kissing the best they could with the way they were positioned Castle and Beckett tried to still last as long as they could until they reached the edge. Their orgasms were rough and heavily pleasurable and they were tempted to try and make themselves climax again but were stopped by the sounds of two alarms going off. They parted from each other with a quick kiss before they hurried to get their phones.

Once she had changed and was ready to head out Beckett went over to the table and texted Martha while she waited for Castle to come out from the bathroom.

"Are they ready to talk?" he asked when he walked out to her.

Glancing at him Beckett was about to tell him she hadn't had a text yet when her phone alerted her to one and she quickly read it. "They are now," she said, standing up. She went with him to the couch where he set up their tablet to Skype, soon seeing Julia and Eliza on the screen. "Hey you two," she told them with a smile.

"Morning Mommy, Daddy," Eliza said.

"Morning," Julia added hurriedly.

"Good morning," Castle and Beckett said together. "How're you doing?" he asked.

"Good and you?" Julia asked them.

"We're fine, we miss you though," Beckett said, glancing at her husband who smiled slightly at her.

"But we're not that far," Julia said. "You shouldn't miss us too much."

"Still," Castle said. "So is Mari there yet?" he asked as he knew they should have been able to see the little girl behind them.

"No, Gram said she can come after lunch," Julia replied. "So we could spend time with her before my friend comes over."

"I don't think you can blame me for wanting to spend a little quality time with my granddaughters," Martha said from behind them.

Smiling as the girls giggled back at her Beckett then said, "No we don't. But now we want to hear all about your day yesterday after we left and then what you did today after you woke up."

"When we got back home after my class we had a little snack and then I don't have homework for the weekend, so we started to play," Julia began.

"Dresses!" Eliza added exuberantly.

"What did you play while you dressed up?" Castle asked.

"I have no idea what they were doing," Martha said before the girls could answer. She smiled as Eliza beamed at her parents and then said, "Tell them kiddo what you thought of with your sister."

Nodding the toddler then said to Castle and Beckett, "We played Jules book."

"You were detectives?" Castle said in slight confusion, not surprised to see that Beckett was slightly perplexed as well when he glanced at her.

"That and we were also… fairies?" Julia said, looking to her sister. "And we flew to where you were and saw you before we came back home before you could see us."  
"And that was just act one," Martha said.

"How many acts were there?" Beckett asked, heavily amused.

"Three," Martha said. "I made sure they understood what the acts did for their little skit, gave it some substance."

"Of course," Castle said. "Act two?"

"We were sheriffs riding horses," Julia said. "And Macca was the cow we were taking to California."

"Any reason why you were sheriffs and not cowboys?" Castle asked.

"Richard," Martha said as Beckett rolled her eyes in response to that. "You know they don't want to wear cowboy outfits."

"Sorry, keep going," Castle urged them.

"And after we played again we were still on the horses and were going to the moon before we got a space dog," Julia said. "And came back home."

"Mind you some of this was Julia as well," Martha said quickly.

"It sounds like it was joint venture," Beckett said smiling lovingly at her daughters. "So you had fun."

"A lot," Eliza said, nodding before she giggled and said, "Macca was happy here."

"He would be," Castle said. "And that was before dinner?"

"They were skits, very short," Martha said. "And of course we ate and after we played some games together before Eliza went to bed."

"And after Gram and I watched Paul's cartoons," Julia added. "And after that's when I went to bed."

"So you had a good day," Castle stated.

"As good as it is when you're not home," Julia said with a shrug. She knew her parents might start to feel guilty at that so she was quick to tell them, "You owe us some play time when you're back."

"We already had that in mind, remember sweetie," Beckett said. "And this morning?"

"I made them some oatmeal," Martha said. "Granted I heated what you had readymade but I got them fed."

"We didn't doubt you would Mother," Castle replied. "And until now?"

"They've been marching outside," Martha answered.

"Through the puddles," Beckett said. She tried not to laugh when the girls ducked out of sight and she said in a mock stern tone, "Julia, Eliza."

"We had fun Mommy," the toddler said first, peeking up over the bottom of the tablet's screen though she was using the window on TV screen to see herself doing that.

"I know and it's okay you did that," Beckett replied. "I understand how hard it is to resist some fresh puddles; I did that when I was a little girl."

"You can sit up now Julia," Castle said in amusement as the little girl was waving her hand at the bottom of the screen.

"I brought them in when you texted me Kate," Martha then said. "And since their outer layers were muddied it was simple enough to get them off and bring them over here. Well, after we cleaned off our splashed faces."

"Oh you must have run a marathon," Castle said with a smile.

"No just tag," Julia said. "It was fun."

"What're you going to do with Mari?" Beckett said.

"I think we're going to play one of my games on my computer for a little," Julia said after she had shrugged. "Or something else, we have to see what we want to do. When can I tell you?"

"Tomorrow at dinner," Beckett assured her.

"What did you do?" Eliza then asked both her parents.

"Once we got here we went up to our room; Mari's mom and dad are next door to us so we said hi to them," Castle answered. "And after we unpacked we had dinner, met everyone else here who's going to be at the party tomorrow."

"Did you make friends?" Eliza said.

"Not exactly but we did talk to some of the people," Beckett said with a smile. "And after we went out for a very short walk to the pond before we went to bed."

"You're going to Shirley now aren't you?" Martha asked quickly as she had been able to readily notice the way her son and daughter in law became tense as they looked at one another and she could discern their activities that morning.

"We're going to have lunch and then head around… likely shop," Castle said.

"Fun, if you see a bookstore may I have a book, please?" Julia asked.

"Me too," Eliza began. She then jumped and said, "Please, please, please?"

"We'll see what we find in town," Castle replied.

"We were thinking of getting you a book anyway," Beckett couldn't help saying. "That shouldn't surprise you."

"No but we want you to remember," Julia told her.

"Now we do," Castle said.

"And don't forget the picture of you!" the little girl added almost sternly.

"Yes ma'am," Castle said teasingly as he saluted her. He smiled when the girls giggled and then said, "But if we're going to find any books…"

"They have to go," Julia said. "I hope you have the best time at the party."

"Me too," Eliza said with a big nod of her head.

"We will, you guys enjoy the rest of the day and we'll come home… sometime in the afternoon tomorrow," Castle said.

"We'll let you know when we're close," Beckett told them. "Let's say goodnight now okay?"

At the girls' nods Castle then said, "Sweet dreams Julia, Eliza; I love you both you know."

"We do Daddy," Julia told him as her sister was again nodding her head next to him. "And I love you."

"Love you Daddy, dance with Mommy," Eliza said firmly.

"I promise I will," Castle said, waving to them slightly.

"I love you too Julia, Eliza," Beckett then told them. "Have fun with Mari tonight."

"We will," the little girl said, smiling widely at her mother. "And we'll tell you all about it tomorrow when you get back. I can't wait." She giggled softly at the loving smile her mother gave her and then said, "I love you Mommy."

"I love you Mommy," Eliza said, going up to the screen and pursing her lips at it. She laughed when her sister pulled her back enough so they could see their mother blowing them a kiss and after they'd said goodbye she said, "Do we play now?"

"After lunch, come on girls time for you to show your gram how grown up you've become," Martha said, taking them to the garage where she would drive them to the _White Narrows_ for their lunch, the two talking excitedly as they went.

* * *

"Out of all the places we can go in this city Rick," Beckett told him with a smile as she picked up her pint of Guinness. "You bring me to an Irish bar."

"I had to," Castle replied with an answering smile. "Plus I felt like some Irish stew."

"It is cold," Beckett said with a nod as they were both having the same thing. "So we have plenty of time to shop since we're starting at six."

"Oh, that's a risk love, telling me that," Castle told her with a smile.

"And I'm also telling you to control yourself," Beckett said in a mock stern tone of voice.

"So we're sticking together?" Castle said. When she nodded he was thoughtful for a moment and then said with a smile, "Can't complain about that. But so you know-"

" _I owe you nothing_ ," Beckett said immediately. " _And you're thinking about tonight after all the times we were together_?"

" _It'll be the perfect ending to tonight_ ," Castle said simply. He laughed when she pushed him and told her, " _Just keep the idea in mind. We may do that or may not_."

" _And there's always tomorrow before we leave_ ," Beckett replied, looking at him out of the corner of her eye as she raised her glass to sip her stout.

" _Vixen_ ," Castle said, having found a word similar to that in Irish, telling her it was the same word so she would think of it when he spoke it.

Beckett didn't respond to that, merely smirked briefly at him before she returned to her meal and he did as well. To change the subject she spoke about their gifts for their family that Christmas and they finished eating as they discussed what was left to buy. "But of course," she said as they walked out of the pub in their coats and with her wrapping her arms around his left one. "We don't need to get everything else now."

"Of course," Castle said. "I think I know where we're going first by the way."

Beckett smiled and said, "The bookstore isn't that far away. And I'm wondering if we might look for Alexis too?"

"We can," Castle replied. "But she might be harder to search for."

"I think I know what she might like to read," Beckett said. "You don't?"

"I'll let you pick and then see what you get," Castle said.

"So you can approve of it?" Beckett asked with a wry smile.

"Basically," Castle said before they reached the store. Stepping inside he was a little startled to hear the person at the counter in front of them speaking about the B&B, and loudly.

"Oh yeah, lots of higher class people, noses up in the air," the man was saying. "Gotta be considering how much money we got. Not sure why we're in old costumes but what the hell, it's a job." He glanced over at Castle and Beckett and said brusquely, "Help you?"

Shaking his head Castle took his wife over to the children's books and said, "Not sure if he was trying to be insulting or not."

"Maybe," Beckett said. "But since he has to work he probably feels he has a right to be."

"I wonder what he meant by old costumes," Castle said. "Because if they're dressed up too it might be hard to order drinks."

Beckett merely smiled and then said, "I think we should worry about that later and focus on these books."

"Good idea," Castle said quickly and with a nod. He split up from her, going over to books more suitable for Eliza's age and then glancing over everything there was. It took him a little longer before he was able to pick something, taking out a hardback copy of a set of fairy tales. "Love," he said. "Regular book or Christmas book?"

Looking over to him as he neared her Beckett glanced through it and told him simply, "Regular book, we already have enough for her for Christmas." When he nodded she handed him one of _The Boxcar Children_ books their daughter didn't have and then led him over to the history section to start looking over the tomes there on the shelves with her.

"She should enjoy this one," Castle said before he looked around and saw where they were. "Here?"

"What, you don't want to see," Beckett said, already pulling a book off a shelf.

"I'll let you look around," Castle told her. He kissed her cheek and then said, "I'll be back."

Beckett smiled and watched him go before she went turned to the book in her hands and looked around until she had finished with the section and then left to return to her husband. "I found something for my dad," she told him.

"Any chance this year?" Castle asked.

Not answering that at first Beckett said, "He's still not ready."

Castle nodded and then said, "Did you tell the girls?"

"When you were in the city," Beckett told him. "They were disappointed but I think at this point they expect it."

"Are you going to explain why to Eliza when she's older," Castle said as they exchanged the books they were holding then.

"I will," Beckett replied easily. "I think this one you can set back," she said as she handed him one of the two books he'd gotten.

"Oh come on," Castle said teasingly.

"Well if you want to get it I won't stop you," Beckett said. "But I won't read it myself."

Grinning since they teased each other that way when they got books the other didn't want to read Castle took the tome she had liked and then went to pay for them. "So what's next?" he asked when he met his wife at the door, walking out to the street.

"I think we should just look around," Beckett said. She was slightly surprised when Castle took her hand and then led her over to another store. "Rick…" she said sternly as she saw it was the toy store.

"Just a quick look," Castle replied as he opened the door for her. "You wanted to try out that idea of a little tree right?"

"I would," Beckett said. "So just smaller gifts for it right?"

"Yes but do calendars count?" Castle asked her since that was the only gift they had for the small tree they were going to get for the girls and Alexis to open a few gifts under on Christmas morning before they woke the rest of them up.

"They will," Beckett said. "Especially since they're of horses."

"You make a good point," Castle replied as they went to some old fashioned games. "What do you think?" he asked her, taking down a game with pegs on it.

"For Julia?" Beckett asked, looking at the triangle of wood with holes on it. "I had one of these," she told him.

"Me too," Castle said with a smile.

"And for Eliza?" Beckett asked as she held up a cup and ball.

"That she'll love," Castle said, nodding his head.

"What about Alexis?" Beckett said then.

"I think she might enjoy this," Castle said as he saw a set for magnetic darts. "She can hang it on the wall and play… right?"

"It's not exactly a dorm room," Beckett said, looking around for a moment. "I think we should get her a game to take back with her but try to find something else she wants… perfume or maybe even something for her room."

Nodding at that Castle followed her around the store, teasing her by pointing out what he saw that the girls would like. "Okay so you won't take any of my suggestions?" he asked jokingly. When she just looked at him he smiled and said, "At least I found Julia's gift."  
Beckett glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before she then went over to the register to pay, looking up as the woman behind the counter spoke.

"You're here for the Halloween party?" she asked. When she saw that Castle was startled too she said, "We know about it since the Beach gets their supplies from us."

"Yeah we're there," Castle said. "Does anyone else go or is it just for the guests?"

"Just for the guests but they offer a reduced rate for us in town so some of us from Shirley have gone," the woman said, taking the card that Beckett handed to her. "But this year no one from town was able to get in, which was strange."

"How long have they been having this party?" Beckett asked.

Smiling at that the woman said, "That would be the reason why, for at least nine years. So it's become popular. I've been able to go myself so I can tell you now you'll have a great time."

"Thank you," Beckett said, taking the boxes the toys were in and handing them to Castle to put away with their books. When they stepped outside she said, "It makes sense."

"You don't want people crashing the party of course," Castle replied. He then smiled and said, "We've got time, want to keep going?"

Beckett's response to that was to put her arm through her husband's and they continued down the street. She glanced through the shop windows until they stopped at the same time at one. "Well…" she said, looking at him.

"She could use a new bike, she's gotten taller already," Castle told her. "But I'm wondering if we couldn't get one for her for-"

"Her birthday," they said together. At that Beckett nodded and then said, "That would work better but we should take a look to see what they have to choose from."

"You want a bike?" Castle asked her before they went into the store. "We don't have any; we always borrow from Rebecca and David."

"Always? We don't ride that much," Beckett replied. She then looked thoughtful and said, "Maybe we should. But let's wait until after winter to worry about that."

Following her inside Castle said with a grin, "You just want to ride Alex as much as you can before winter."

"So?" Beckett asked him with her eyebrow slightly raised. When he shrugged she smiled and said, "Thank you."

"No I do enjoy riding with you," Castle replied. He looked at the bikes they'd come to first and said, "Would you want the same kind as Alexis?" since they were at the mountain bikes.

"I think so," Beckett replied, smiling at him. "Since Julia's right, they're nice looking bikes."

"Then we should head over in that direction," Castle said, starting to take her elbow. When she shook it out of his grip he couldn't help laughing softly and followed her over to the selection.

"Like a rainbow of colors," Beckett said with a smile as she saw the different hues there were. "What would you pick out?"

"The forest green," Castle said, going to one. "The black on the tires and seat make it look sophisticated."

"Like if James Bond rode a bike," Beckett said. She watched her husband laugh at the idea and then said, "But I like it for you."

"Me too, we'll have to come back for it…" Castle said before he started to look around the store. "Or we'll look back at home."

"We'll probably do that," Beckett said with a nod.

"What about you?" Castle asked her as they walked to the end of the row of beach cruisers.

"This one most likely," Beckett said, pointing out a darker blue color.

"Nice," Castle said with a nod before he took her hand as they walked to the kids' bikes. "Does Eliza need a new one or she can go on her tricycle a little longer?"

"A little longer," Beckett said. "But looking at the colors over there I think she'll want this kind but we'd need to see what's at home of course before we make a final choice," she said as she stopped him in front of a bike that was light blue with tan rims and seat.

"Have to have a basket," Castle said musingly. He glanced at his wife and seeing her looking at him questioningly told her, "She'll ride this to the library… or the bookstore downtown. For her books."

Beckett laughed softly at that and then said, "You might be right."

"Let's keep going," Castle then told her as they walked around the store to the door. "I'm thinking," he told her. "And I just thought of this as I remember that Rowena's at the B would my mom or Alexis like what's at her store?"

"It's more my age and style," Beckett told him.

"Rebecca's too," Castle said with a nod as he thought that. "Okay then I'll have to look elsewhere."

"Why don't we set aside Christmas gifts for now," Beckett suggested. "And have dessert?"

Castle looked at her in surprise before he looked at where she had stopped them and saw they were at a café and cupcake shop. "Ooh, what'll we tell the girls tomorrow?" he asked as she pulled him inside.

"First we're sharing… whatever we decide on together," Beckett said before they looked into the display case of cupcakes. "And second we'll have some on Halloween."

"I know I can't wait for the girls to see them," Castle said.

Turning to him at his excited tone of voice Beckett leaned over and kissed him on the cheek before she said, "What about that one?" pointing to one cupcake with a tiny pumpkin patch on it.

"We're not having dessert later?" Castle asked.

"We'll dance it off," Beckett said simply. She glanced at him and then said, " _Maybe more than just that_."

Doing his best not to react visibly to that Castle nodded once before they ordered their coffees and cupcake. When they were sitting down he said, "I do miss them."

"So do I," Beckett said as she was watching him cut the cupcake in half. "We love them."

"A lot," Castle said. He shared a smile with her and said, "Think we should at least send that picture you took of it?"

"I will now," Beckett replied, going onto her phone. She sent it and then ate a little of the cupcake before sipping at her coffee. "It's good, not as much as at home though."

Castle was about to reply to that when her phone between them rang and he leaned over in his seat to see that it was a text from his mother. He saw the picture that was sent with the message a second before his wife did and he began to laugh. "At least they're mini-cupcakes," he told her as there were three small cupcakes with small ghosts on them in fondant.

"They are," Beckett said with a smile. She texted her mother in law that they were cute before she told Martha to remind the girls they would have cupcakes again on Halloween.

"They would probably still ask to have some tomorrow," Castle told her.

"I realize that," Beckett said, going back to the cupcake. She took one of the pumpkins off the top and ate it saying, "But they'll remember we ordered some and that might get Julia to remind her little sister of the party."

Castle thought that over for a moment before he nodded and said, "Could work."

Beckett smiled and then raised her mug, tapping it against his before they shared a quick kiss on the lips and finished their coffee and dessert. She led the way outside and when she saw the middle of the downtown area said, "Almost like home."

"You don't have your camera do you?" Castle asked her as he joined her in looking.

"No," Beckett replied with a smile. "Come on we should start walking back."

Letting her pull him across the street Castle watched his wife's hand curled around his and something about the way her fingers were grasping at him made him suddenly take over, pulling her over to the start of a small alley between two stores. "Do you…" he stated simply, looking into her eyes.

"I… we shouldn't," Beckett breathed, unable to tear her gaze away from him.

"We can't repress ourselves my love," Castle said as he held her gently by the wrists. "Not with the party tonight… unless you do want to end up ducking outside for some 'fresh air,'" he told her as he let go of her to put his fingers into air quotes.

Beckett smiled briefly at that before telling him, "The rest of the stores on this side and then we go back."

Walking with her back to the sidewalk Castle glanced at the stores they were passing and said, "I don't know, we might finish quickly."

"I was aware of that already," Beckett said, glancing at him.

"Oh, you planned this," Castle said, not surprised when she laughed softly at that. "And you cheated."

"What?" Beckett asked, looking at him.

"You're not supposed to look at the other side, not until we get here," Castle told her. When she rolled her eyes he put his hand on her back before they paused together at a store. "Look," he told her as they looked into one of the displays in the windows. "I know you suggested we set aside gifts for now but I really think we should make an exception."

"Okay," Beckett said, slightly laughingly before they then went inside the stationary store. She walked around the tables ahead of her husband who had stopped to look at some books at the front. She glanced at the different sets but then paused at one before turning to find her husband was standing next to her. "How did you move that fast?" she asked him teasingly since she could tell he'd been trying to scare her.

"I'm that good," Castle said easily. "I think she'll like it," he said as he looked at the set which had pictures of different floral bouquets. "What about one of the smaller sets that she could use now?" Before she could reply to that he pulled her to the section and said, "She might enjoy this one," as he held up a set with Japanese paintings.

"Okay but with this it makes the three uneven," Beckett told him.

"We'll get something," Castle said. "Not now of course but at some point."

Beckett handed him the other set and watched him start to walk to the register. "Wait," she told him as she then saw something against the back wall.

Turning quickly to join her Castle saw what she was looking at and said, "They sell those here?"

"They're themed," Beckett said, taking down one of the activity books that involved writing, English and math. "By era," she then told him.

"Awesome, should we get one from each?" Castle told her.

"Why not just the fifties and sixties?" Beckett told him. "And these'll be their gift for them. Though Rick, we really need to not get something for them every time."

"We didn't when we went to Tahiti," Castle reminded her.

"Because there was nothing to get; we never stayed in Papeete to shop long enough," Beckett told him simply. "Now we should go pay."

Castle followed her and paid before they were leaving the store, walking arm in arm quickly down the sidewalk. He quickly noticed that his wife was just barely glancing at the ones they were passing and his heart started to beat harder as he realized that she wasn't kidding about going back to their room. Holding her as close to him as he could, he tried his hardest not to walk faster but kept up the steady pace as they soon gave up the pretense and headed straight to where their car was parked.

* * *

Cupping her husband's face in her hands Beckett smiled and kissed him deeply before saying, "Why?"

"How many times have we tried to explain why we get like this?" Castle said in response instead of answering her. "But… we should head inside you know."

Glancing at the B&B they were standing outside of Beckett said with a smile, "Do you think anyone saw us?"

"Not while we were still in the car," Castle said, looking behind him as he heard a car coming up the long driveway. "That'll be the caterers," he told his wife as he turned back to her and saw that she was looking in the same direction too.

"We should go," Beckett said, purposely echoing what he'd said. She let him take her hand and they walked inside the house after one of the employees there opened it to her knock. She and Castle handed over their outer layers before they went to the stairs, just as Rowena and Dale were coming to them from the parlor.

"Hello," the woman said with a smile as they started up ahead of them. "Been shopping?"

"Some, mostly walking around while we had the chance to visit Shirley," Castle answered.

"We might do that tomorrow," Dale said. He was looking at his wife and said, "No?"

"We need to go back to Amelia," Rowena said. "Which is why we came upstairs," she then directed to Castle and Beckett. "To see her and talk with my mom."

"We'll see you at the party," Beckett replied.

"Yeah, see you," Rowena replied before she and her husband left them.

Once the two were gone Castle turned to his wife and said, "You want to try and find David and Rebecca?"

"No," Beckett said simply before she reached over to him and took him by the wrist. She led him the short distance left to their room and once they were inside she waited for him to close the door behind him and lock it. When he turned back to her she was a little surprised when he took her hand but did so gently. "Did you change your mind?" she asked as he led her over to the couch.

"Not really," Castle said as he let her sit down first before joining her. As soon as he had done so he reached for her and pulled her against him, kissing her a little frantically at first before she calmed him down. When he'd managed to do so they needed to breathe and were soon pulling away before he said, "Too soon?"

"No just a little too much," Beckett replied with a smile. She then leaned over and brushed her lips to his before she told him, "And we're in the wrong place."

"I think we're just… oh fine," Castle said before ending in mock exasperation as he followed her in walking to the bed. As soon as they were next to it he was wrapping his arms around her and he said, "I want you."

"You read my mind," Beckett said with a slight smile. "Because I want you too."

"Perfect," Castle said, moving to fall back on the bed.

Laughing softly Beckett held onto him tightly before their lips met and as they continued to kiss she helped him in getting them both undressed until they moved to lay down more comfortably and were soon making love yet again.

* * *

Feeling something shaking him Castle grunted slightly in response before he turned to press his cheek to the pillow to look at his wife who was then running her hand over the back of his head. "It's time?" he asked.

"If you're going to get ready first, then yes," Beckett told him. "How'd you sleep?" she asked as he turned over and then sat up.

"Great I think we needed that," Castle told her as he studied her.

"I slept fine, go," Beckett told him. She wasn't surprised when her husband leaned over and kissed her firmly, responding to him and letting him flick his tongue against hers before he pulled away. She watched him get out of bed and go to the bathroom, lying back as she smiled to herself slightly. They had only made love once, too tired to do anything else, and had taken a shower together before they'd slept the time remaining until they needed to get dressed. She had almost thought that doing both things naked would have led to them needing each other yet again but that hadn't been the case so she guessed as she got up that they had been sated for the time being. She dressed quickly in her bra and panties before she heard her husband coming out into the bedroom.

"Wow awesome costume," Castle said jokingly. "We're staying in tonight aren't we?"

"I'll see you in a second love," Beckett said with a smirk before she disappeared with her costume into the bathroom.

Castle watched her until the door closed and then sighed slightly before calling, "I think we exorcized our desire."

"Yes but just for the time being," Beckett replied, her voice distorting slightly as she was changing into her dress.

"Yeah," Castle said, scratching his cheek as he went to the window to wait for her. He wasn't sure how long she took, but eventually he called, "How much-"

"I'm here," Beckett told him as she opened the door to the bathroom and stepped out. When he turned and looked at her she raised her eyebrows at him once and smirked saying, "Surprised?"

"Wow… you're…" Castle began to say, taking in the dress from top to bottom. "Yeah you look so much better in this than Maria."

Beckett smiled at that, remembering how she had told his mother her fear of him thinking of the star when he saw her. She then went over to him when he looked down at her feet and getting an idea she said, "Want to help me?"

"With what?" Castle asked, admiring her bare feet as he couldn't help doing so.

"My shoes?" Beckett asked simply, trying not to outright smirk at him.

"Oh sure," Castle replied. He then went over to the closet where he grabbed the box that she'd put on the floor and followed her to the turret and the couch where she sat. "That's why Julia was so eager for me to see these," he told her with a smile. He took out the right one, a black heel with a black strap over the middle; much like their daughter's were except the heel was two inches. "She was excited going with you to get these," he said as he took her foot to slip it on.

"We ordered them online," Beckett told him with a smile though she was trying not to shiver too visibly as he was caressing her foot and leg. She watched him buckle them before he moved to do the same with the other. She started to stand up once he was doing so but he stopped her. "You realize you don't need to always act like this," she told him with a smile.

"I'm well aware but it's still nice to do," Castle said, wrapping his arm around her waist. "Do something for me now?"

"Okay," Beckett said slowly, studying him.

"Let me spin you?" Castle asked.

Beckett couldn't help laughing softly at that request and then explained why she had done that by telling him, "I had a feeling you'd ask me."

Castle nodded and then let go of her to take her hand and help her spin around, watching the way her skirt flared. "Wow when Mother wants to she can be very thorough," he told his wife when he held her by the waist again and then reached in his pocket for his phone.

"She watched the dance a number of times," Beckett replied. "At least that's what she told me."

"More than likely she did," Castle said absently as he opened his camera. "Ready?"

"Be careful how you angle the shot," Beckett said. When her husband looked at her she quickly said, "Not too far down so they see the dress."

"Wait," Castle said suddenly as he realized something when she said that. He let go of her and went back to the bedroom, pulling two hats out of a dresser drawer. "How could we forget these?" he told his wife when he came back to her and handed her the black _beret_.

"I know do you have the masks?" Beckett asked him as she put on the hat before going to the bathroom to check she had it on right.

"In my pocket are we wearing them to dinner?" Castle asked. "I don't think we should," he told her. "Since everyone will recognize us."

"Then we won't," Beckett replied with a smile as she watched him put the black newsboy cap on his head. She then stepped up to him and straightened the black tie that went with his three piece black pinstripe suit. She smiled at him when she began to carefully straighten the collar of his light blue shirt and said, "I think we're ready now."

"We are," Castle said as she stood next to him and he grabbed his phone, taking the picture of them. He then sent it quickly to his mother before he shortly got an answering text. " _You look great and the girls are even more excited to see Kate's dress_."

Smiling as he read that Beckett said, "No surprise."

"No just telling her to tell them that we love them," Castle told her, looking at the screen of his phone. He then said, "Another request?"

"Okay," Beckett asked, wondering what he wanted to do.

Castle opened his mouth to speak when his phone rang and he told her, "Surprised by that too?"

"Not in the slightest," Beckett said, watching him answer his mother's call before switching to video. "Hello you two," she said with a smile when they saw their daughters.

"Sorry Mommy," Julia said.

"Yeah, sorry," Eliza added, waving to their parents.

"We just wanted to say have a great time at the party," Julia then said.

"And do you know what my mommy and daddy are gonna wear?" Mari asked, just barely appearing at the top of the screen.

Laughing for a moment Beckett told her, "I'm afraid not and even if I did your mom asked me not to tell you. You'll see their costumes on Halloween."

Sighing Mari said, "Okay you can talk to them, sorry."

"That's okay," Julia replied to her friend with a slight smile. "So we saw a little of your dress Mommy."

"I know but how do you know the rest looks like Maria's did?" Beckett asked teasingly.

"It looks like it enough Julia," Martha said off screen then when her granddaughter looked over at her.

"She's right," Beckett said as she could see that Julia looked a little annoyed. "And sweetie?"

"Sorry," the little girl said as she looked down at the screen again. "But I know you look really pretty Mommy."

"Thank you, we'll let you go now okay?" Beckett began.

Before she could say anything else after that Eliza said quickly, "Do you and Daddy dance?"

"Not yet," Beckett said, looking at her husband as he coughed for a moment. "Remember we'll be back tomorrow and tell you all about the party. So for now go ahead and…"

"Play!" Eliza cried when her mother had trailed off.

"You can go ahead and do that," Castle said. "And you'll have to tell us what you do tomorrow too."

"We will," the girls said at the same time.

"Alright I love you Julia, Eliza," Beckett then said. "We'll see you tomorrow at home."

"Love you Mommy," the girls said together again.

"Stop doing that it's like you're one little girl," Castle said teasingly. "But that being said I love you both Eliza, Julia. And have fun tonight until you go to bed."

"We will Daddy," Julia said, her sister nodding next to her. "You have fun too."

"Lots of fun," Eliza added. "Love you!"

"Love you too Daddy," Julia said.

After they'd said goodbye to Mari and his mother Castle slipped the phone back into his pocket and said to his wife, "So before we head down."

"Yes I'm interested in hearing this request since we were interrupted," Beckett replied.

"True I want to dance with you," Castle said, jokingly talking in a rush.

"Now?" Beckett said, smiling. "And dressed as Bonnie and Clyde?"

"They were in love," Castle said in protest. When his wife didn't reply to that he became a little concerned, thinking she wouldn't want to, when she reached up and cupped his face.

"We can dance downstairs," Beckett told him firmly.

"The first dance of tonight I want us to be alone," Castle told her seriously.

Leaning over Beckett kissed him, being a little careful at first before her husband wrapped his arms around her and pulled her tightly to him. When they had pulled away from their rough and heavy kiss eventually she smiled and said, "What'll be the first song?"

"Let me surprise you," Castle told her, getting his phone out of his pocket again.

"Why don't you just leave it on the table?" Beckett asked teasingly, waiting for him. She wasn't surprised when he didn't reply but she was by the song that eventually began. "Really?" she asked as he came to her.

Castle didn't reply again, too intent on getting her in his arms before they started to sway as eventually the lyrics began.

_Sublime is the summertime, warm and lazy,  
_ _These are perfect days like Heaven's about here,  
_ _But unlike summer that came and went  
_ _Your love is forever  
_ _I feel it and my heart knows  
_ _That we share it together_

Beckett couldn't help smile at her husband's song choice as she was well aware it was a favorite of his, though she liked to tease him it was more a song about seasons. But as the next verse began she couldn't help kissing his cheek softly as his hands were tightening their grip on her.

_Resigned to the wintertime's cold and dreary,  
_ _Peering into fire flames, burning I know,  
_ _That unlike winter that came and went  
_ _Your love is forever  
_ _I feel it and my heart knows  
_ _That we share it together_

Castle turned his head then to look into his wife's eyes and told her quickly, "You know-"

Cutting him off with a kiss Beckett was quick to pull away before she told him, "I do."

Pressing his forehead to hers Castle listened to the last verse and held her as tightly to him as he could before he mouthed the last lyrics, knowing she could feel him doing so since their lips were close.

_I feel it and my heart knows you're the one  
_ _The guiding light in all your love shines on  
_ _The only lover worth it all  
_ _Your love is forever_

When the song ended Castle and Beckett moved away from each other enough to look into one another's eyes and they leaned in to kiss. It was gentle and brief before they were pulling away to stare at each other again.

"I…" Beckett started to say, trailing off and smiling.

"I know," Castle replied. "But… I can't let your costume go to waste."

"Liar you just want to show me off again," Beckett teased him.

"I have every right to, you chose to be with me so I can't help being proud of that," Castle said. "But I'm not lying Kate, I love you."

" _The only lover worth it all_?" Beckett asked, speaking instead of singing the lyric.

"Yes," Castle said rapidly. He then gathered her up into his arms in a rough embrace and crushed his lips to hers. He was relieved when she hurriedly responded to him and their tongues were soon fighting together in her mouth. He had no idea how long they took but when they parted he was panting as she was and he pressed his forehead against hers for a moment before they slowly moved to look at one another.

"I have to agree with George," Beckett said, smiling at him.

"It's a great lyric," Castle said.

"You didn't let me finish love," Beckett said in a mock stern tone of voice.

"Sorry," Castle replied.

"I love you too Rick," Beckett then said. She took the kiss her husband then gave her eagerly and would have followed him into many more if there hadn't been a knock at the door.

"Yo, open up this door," a voice was obviously yelling from the other side as Castle and Beckett could barely hear it.

"Someone from Jersey?" Castle asked his wife.

"If that's who I think it is, please don't let them be dressed as anyone from that show," Beckett said, walking with him in a rush to the door. "Oh good," she said in exaggerated relief when she saw it was the Fosters and the Reids, no one dressed for the beach.

"Better come inside so we can check out each other's costumes," Castle said. "So, we have a '40's Navy man and…" he said first to the Reids.

"His wife who's a nurse," Rowena said. "I insisted on the wife part," she told Beckett and Rebecca.

"I would too," Rebecca said, Beckett agreeing with her.

"And you're from _Grease_ apparently," Dale said jokingly to David and Rebecca.

"From the '50's," David said.

"Yeah, you'll notice his jacket in the back is text free," Rebecca replied, dressed in a white short sleeved blouse and green gingham patterned poodle skirt. "You know they're talking about bringing this back to the school," she said to Beckett.

"What?" she asked in confusion.

"Before you two came they used to have a sock hop for the elementary school," Rebecca told her.

"It was themed," David corrected his wife. "But they might bring it back."

"A dance for elementary, oh, it was a family dance," Castle started to say.

"Yeah I would imagine it'd be fun, let's hope they bring it back because I don't mind wearing a skirt like this," Rebecca replied.

"And you two are…?" Dale then asked Castle and Beckett.

"Bonnie and Clyde," he said first. "As portrayed by Maria Menounos and Derek Hough."

"Nice," Rowena said. "Who are they?"

Laughing for a moment Beckett explained quickly who they were and the show before the woman said she knew about the show already. "The dress was a peach color," she said. "My mother in law, at our oldest's insistence, made it blue because…"

"That's her color," Castle said, smiling when his wife pushed at him slightly. He smiled at her and said, "My suit I took care of myself."

"No you both look great, close to how they did on the show," Rebecca said. "I think we all did very well."

"We did," Castle replied. "Picture?"

"We better," Beckett told the others. "He won't stop until we do," she said, smiling simply at her husband as he grabbed his phone on top of the table and gave her a look at the same time.

Taking a picture of them all standing together Castle then sent it to the others after getting the number of Dale's phone. "So nothing left now but to head out," he said.

"Time to party," Rebecca said. She smiled and then told the others, "I haven't been to a party for Halloween for a long time."

"Should be fun," David said, taking his wife's hand and squeezing it tightly.

"Hopefully for all of us," Dale said, putting his arm around Rowena.

"I think we can stop wondering about it," Beckett said.

"And just go," Castle added.

With some laughter as he motioned them out of the room the group then left and joined some of the other guests that were heading to the stairs to go down to the dining room to start the evening's festivities.


	5. Leave Your Body At The Door

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Dead Man's Party by the band Oingo Boingo, from their album of the same name.

"Did you remember your phone?"

Beckett turned to her husband at Rebecca's question and she asked, "Did you?"

"I…" Castle said, searching his pockets. "No I left it on the table," he said in frustration. "Wait for me."

"At least we didn't already head down the stairs," Beckett said to her friend while she waited at the top of the staircase.

"Okay now I'm set," Castle said. He took his wife's hand and then began to walk down with her before he noticed something.

"Why are you taking pictures of us?" Beckett asked Rebecca, seeing her tapping the screen of her phone as the back was looking up at them.

"She had the idea just now of taking pictures of you as if you were Maria and Derek," David said with a sigh though it was obvious he was struggling not to laugh.

"I'm sending these to Martha, not keeping them," Rebecca said, smiling as Castle and Beckett had started to laugh slightly at her. "Nice, you two photograph well together."

"Our agent says that… a lot," Beckett replied, rolling her eyes. "Let me see," she told her friend before taking her phone. She sighed and said, "She'll be ecstatic."

Castle kissed her cheek quickly as he could tell that his wife didn't mind the pictures though she was trying to make it sound like it. "I think we should do that at home too for her," he said as he and Rebecca held their phones up to each other to transfer the pictures to his. "Thank you," he said to the woman.

"Not a problem," Rebecca said, letting the others see the pictures before pocketing her phone. "And I agree with your husband Kate, you should do that."

"Only for Julia," Beckett said glancing over to the parlor where it appeared the other guests were waiting. "And no announcements as if we were on the show," she said to her husband as they stepped into the room.

"Oh come on, that would be awesome," Castle said in protest.

Glancing at him briefly Beckett turned to Rowena who was exclaiming over something in one of the pictures. "What is it?" she asked.

"She got this picture for me," the woman said, gesturing to Rebecca. "Let me see your phone," she said to Castle. "If that's okay."

"It is," he said with a slight laugh before he handed it over to her. "Why?"

"Look," Rowena said, holding up the two phones so the others could see a picture of Maria and Derek descending the stairs next to the one of Castle and Beckett doing so just before.

"Nice," David said. "Pretty close, if only you had blonde hair Rick."

"And if I was a lot younger," Castle added.

"Why did your daughter want you to wear this costume?" Rowena asked, handing him and Rebecca their phones.

"She liked it," Beckett said. "When she asked me if I would wear one of the costumes Maria had and I eventually agreed she then suggested this one or else the Paso Doble one."

Rebecca wasn't surprised when Rowena and Dale looked to her and she laughed saying, "You don't have a phone on you?"

"Sorry," Dale replied first. He took the phone from her and then whistled before looking at Castle.

"I know, a little too much but I told her that my mom would have easily covered up her sides for that-" he started to say.

"And you would have been shirtless?" Rowena asked, interrupting him.

"He could pull it off," Beckett said with a smirk.

"We play polo?" David suggested as the other couple looked surprised at that. "But seriously you would have?"

"I don't think so," Castle replied. "I'd be wearing that outfit outside so just a jacket wouldn't cut it."

"Okay, well what you have is great too, both of you," Rowena said.

"We should get going," David suggested.

"I was tempted to ask Mother to make that dress still," Castle said as the others walked ahead of them and they followed. "You know, just for us," he finished with a grin to his wife.

Beckett didn't reply to that, though she shot him a look, as a couple near the doorway was stopping them and just in time she remembered them as the Manchesters. She wasn't surprised when they were asked about their costumes repeatedly as they made their way in the room, not really caring as Castle took care of explaining. When they were left alone for a moment she murmured to her husband, "I have to tell your mother how much everyone liked the dress."

"I know, maybe she'll make something for you next year?" Castle asked with a slight smile.

Shaking her head, though she was smiling, Beckett looked around the room at the different costumes on each couple. "Looks like everyone took this seriously," she eventually said.

"I noticed that too," Castle agreed. He then smiled and said, "I'm surprised no one went risqué at all. We're all adults."

"Maybe not that twelve year old in you who just said that," Beckett told him teasingly. She smiled when he made a face at her and then said, "I think most of the women didn't want to go that route." She then thought for a moment and said, "Maybe to not attract attention from other husbands."

Castle jumped slightly at that and then turned to his wife, about to speak when she beat him to it.

"I know you're not but you gave a second glance to the pirate couple," Beckett replied.

"The Jack Sparrow costume is really good," Castle explained. "And the Penelope Cruz costume is great too… I don't remember her name in the movie."

Beckett squeezed his hand that she was holding and said, "No."

"Oh come on, you don't need to be a sexy pirate-" Castle began.

"We're not even to Halloween this year," Beckett said. "We can talk about it once we get around to it again next year."

"Right," Castle said. He looked around at the room again before he then turned to her and said, "But it would be awesome."

Sighing Beckett pressed her cheek to his shoulder for a moment before she turned as David and Rebecca were walking back to them. "What?" she asked as she could see the two were laughing softly.

"No we were just told by someone that we were crazy for abandoning the town," Rebecca said.

"Never mind that I'm not in City Hall twenty-four seven," David said. "We're going to sit together right?"

"Of course," Castle said. "Why you think they'll all bother you about deserting your city."

"Yep," David replied. "No, it's just some of these couples are… interesting."

"I'll agree about that," Castle replied, glancing at the Barclays who were talking to the Mudds.

"Ladies and gentlemen," John Kemp then said at the entrance to the door. He was dressed as the farmer from the _American Gothic_ painting, his wife Beatrice as the woman, and he hit the bottom of his pitchfork against the floor to get everyone's attention. "Thank you, dinner is ready and if you'll follow me into the dining room we'll begin tonight's festivities."

"Nice costume," David muttered to the others as they headed out of the room first.

"Maybe we could be a couple from a painting," Castle said. "There's a lot to choose from."  
"We'll see," Beckett said, shaking her head.

"He's suggesting costumes?" Rebecca asked.

Beckett only had time for a brief nod before they were led into the dining room and she sat with her husband after they'd both taken off their hats and set them on a hutch the Kemps allowed them to use. The Fosters were across from them she saw and the Reids next to David. She glanced over to her husband's right, seeing he was sitting next to Melton. " _Will you be okay_?" she asked him in a whisper.

" _I will_ ," Castle said, squeezing her hand gently. " _I won't start a fight if that's what you mean_." He couldn't help it and pressed a kiss to the back of her hand quickly before they turned their attention to the food that was being set down in front of them.

"What?" Beckett asked as she felt her husband nudge her leg with his own. When he simply gestured slightly with his head towards the end of the table, she glanced over and saw the man from the bookstore serving food. "That's probably why-" she began to say.

Standing up then and interrupting Beckett; though that wasn't planned; John Kemp tapped his knife against his wine glass and said, "A toast for our party tonight, may you enjoy it and not let the ghouls and goblins mar your fun."

"Nice," Castle said under his breath to his wife as they tapped their glasses together and did the same with their neighbors before they began to eat.

"Not sure how that would happen," Beckett said, smiling at John as he was sitting back down. "Your place isn't haunted."

"The land is clear of anything negative," John said. He smiled and told those within hearing range that were looking at him for an explanation, "Beatrice believes in spirits, I would have to have very good proof before I believe. But she and I looked into our land and nothing much happened here exactly."

"You should have made up a story," Castle said then. "For the party," he told the co-owner and others who were looking at him questioningly. "It would have been a great set up for some faked poltergeist activity."

"We don't really go that much into detail," John said with a slight laugh. "It's more about dancing. But there will be a few games… perhaps a scavenger hunt."

"Interesting, what will the prize be?" Rowena asked.

"That you'll need to wait and hear about," John said. "But you will, don't worry. So has everyone been enjoying their time around here?"

"We stayed in, did some reading," Rebecca said first as she, her husband and the other couples shared looks with each other. "Though we did come out for a walk; you saw us."

"I did," John said with a nod. "I'm glad you approved of our pumpkins."

"They are nice," Castle said, looking around the room at the jack o lanterns on various pieces of furniture.

"That's from mostly the workers here," John said, nodding.

"Are we next?" Beckett asked then with a smile as no one else spoke after the co-owner had finished.

"I guess we might as well be," Castle said. "We headed into Shirley, had lunch at the Clover Pub and then went around to shop."

"Christmas?" a woman to the right of the Reids, dressed as Morticia from the Adams Family asked.

"Slightly," Beckett said. "We started but I'm trying to hold him back on getting everything done so far in advance."

"Less than two months now," David said.

"Exactly," Castle said.

"Do you have kids?" Rebecca asked the woman who had talked to Beckett. When she shook her head she said, "It helps to start a little early, especially if you have more than one the ages their kids are now," motioning to Castle and Beckett.

"I've seen pictures of your daughters," the woman said. She then blanched and said, "I'm sorry, I just-"

"No it's okay," Beckett said quickly to reassure the woman. "There's little we can do when we're out in public."

"You're not going to start stalking our daughters are you?" Castle asked. When the woman seemed to pale he hurried to say, "I'm kidding, just… kidding," looking at his wife.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "We're not surprised you've seen them."

"I was just going to say they're very cute," the woman said.

"Thank you…? Sorry, I've forgotten your name," Beckett told her.

"It's Greenglass, Helena and Maury," the woman answered.

"Nice to meet you, and great costumes," Castle said, since she and her husband was dressed as Morticia and Gomez Addams. He nodded to them when they thanked him and then returned to his food as the first course was taken away and the second placed in front of them.

Looking across the table as Rowena spoke with someone down the table on her side, Beckett glanced at the other couples for a moment before she leaned over to her husband. "Are we going to be doing this scavenger hunt?" she asked him in a whisper though John was talking to Rebecca and David.

"Why not?" Castle asked with a slight shrug. "It'll be fun."

Sighing slightly Beckett said, "I'll let you go ahead and take care of things."

"Thanks," Castle said with a smile before Melton next to him was speaking.

"You think it's too childish?" the man asked, looking at Beckett.

"It's not really something I enjoy doing now," she replied simply.

"You prefer investigations?" Melton's wife asked, smiling slightly.

"I don't really care what we do," Beckett said, smiling apologetically at the co-owner who was listening to them. "It's a party."

"So we're not having a scavenger hunt next week?" David asked in mock disappointment.

"We are," Beckett said with a sigh since she and Castle were in reality holding the party together with the Fosters; just having it at their home since it was easier for the other couple.

"I told you already we were," Rebecca told her husband teasingly.

"You're having a party?" Helena asked them.

"For our daughters and their friends," Castle said. "Plus some friends from the city."

"Sounds fun," Maury then said.

"It's going to be a kid's party," Castle said as he picked up his wine glass. "In case you wanted to crash or anything."

"We have our own plans," Helena said with a smile. "We're heading to a haunted house in the city."

"That should be fun," Dale said. "And hopefully you don't mind getting scared as much as you'll likely be there."

"He doesn't like those places," Rowena said. "Neither do I but it's funny to see them on TV."

"They put a lot of effort into them," Beckett said.

"You've been to them?" someone a little towards the middle of the table said then.

Glancing at the man, who he vaguely remembered from earlier in the parlor, Castle said, "Just one, north of the city. They went with us."

"Who's been at this table?" Melton suddenly said, addressing everyone. "And I don't mean that particular one, any of them."

"So it's popular to do for the old folks too," Castle said jokingly seeing who'd raised their hands.

"He's including us there," Beckett said, nudging his leg with hers under the table.

"How was that place you went to?" the same man asked.

Remembering suddenly the man's last name was Pearson, Castle said, "Great, it was big too."

"They had a hay ride, corn maze and a house," David added.

Smiling when a number of the other guests asked where exactly the place was, Beckett let David and Rebecca answer while the second course was being exchanged for the third one. "How many are there?" she asked John.

"Just this one, fruit and then dessert; though the dessert will be in the ballroom and later on," the co-owner said.

"I'm glad," a man on the other side of the Meltons said. "You didn't go with creepy food to tie in with your party."

"Like what?" John asked, looking confused.

"Spiders, hearts, that kind of thing," the man said. "What?" he asked with slight laughter when his wife smacked his arm.

"You're thinking of that show where that guy eats all sorts of crazy things?" Maury asked.

"I remember… Andrew Zimmern isn't it?" Castle said. At the man's nod he said, "I watched some episodes of that but never could eat what he did."

"He had a Halloween special," Maury said to those that were listening to them. "And it was… creepy food."

"And if we'd done that I wouldn't be eating myself," John said with a slight smile. "But hopefully you're enjoying the food we have here now."

"It's great," Beckett said.

"We can't take credit for it," John said to her. "But Beatrice and I take care of part of the dessert. She enjoys baking."

"Who doesn't?" Rebecca said with a smile as Beckett looked across at her in confusion.

"Will you be taking your kids out trick or treating on Halloween?" John asked them.

"Of course," Beckett replied. "I don't think there's a chance we could get out of that."

"Mari would lead the kids in a protest. Only Dani would keep out of it," David said.

"I think Julia would join her for that," Castle said. "What will you do on Halloween?" he then directed to the co-owner. "You're a little far for trick-or-treaters."

"We visit our son in the city," John said. "And we join our grandkids in going around their building."

"I remember that," Castle said, looking at his wife.

"Me too though we only had the one year with Julia," Beckett told him, though she knew he was thinking about going around with Alexis as well.

"I always wondered what that was like," Dale said. When the others looked at him he said, "We grew up out here on the island, we've never lived in an apartment building."

"Which is better?" Rowena asked.

"Well, it's safer in the buildings," Castle said, looking at his wife.

Smiling at him Beckett then said, "But there is something about being out in the crisp, night air that's enjoyable too. Plus people do decorate."

"I think it's just a matter of preference," Castle replied. He was going to say more but trailed off when he noticed someone from the catering company coming over to the end of the table to whisper to the co-owner.

"Excuse me," John said, smiling at the guests who all seemed to be looking at him then as he stood.

"Is everything okay?" Beatrice asked when her husband neared her. She listened to her husband when he whispered to her and then smiled saying, "Okay." Turning to the guests when he'd gone through one of the two doors behind her she said, "He's checking on the desserts we ordered; the company thinks they might have to go back to town for what they missed."

"So we can't start dancing?" the male half of the Barclays asked.

"We can but we were actually going to have you go into the parlor for a drink before we start the dancing. Also let you know a little more about the scavenger hunt," Beatrice responded.

" _Alright_ ," Beckett said with a sigh when she noticed her husband was looking at her. " _I'll do the hunt with you but just a warning I probably won't get that excited like you will_ ," she told him, playfully pointing her fork at him.

Castle glanced over at the others around the table that were near them and noticed that everyone but the Fosters were watching them. "She was speaking Irish," he told them as he knew they were confused as to what they were saying.

"Never heard that before," Helena said. "Was it hard to learn?"

"To a degree," Beckett replied.

"Then that must mean you know other languages," Melton said to her.

"Russian, Spanish, French, Mandarin… I think that's it love," Castle said, looking at her.

"The last three we know a bit of," Beckett said, shaking her head at her husband. "But mainly Irish."

"Interesting," Maury said, distracted as they all looked to the door where John was coming out. "Got everything set with dessert?" he asked the man when he passed him and his wife.

"It is, luckily they didn't have to go back to the town," John replied. He watched the last course to be replaced with plates of fruit saying, "There's your creepy," jokingly as the slices of fruit were shaped into a ghost.

"It's cute," Rowena commented. "And great, though I've never heard of a green and yellow ghost."

"Mutated," Castle said before eating a piece of pineapple. He heard his wife cough and looked over at her to see Beckett was drying her mouth with her napkin. "Okay?" he asked in slight concern.

"Yeah just, easy on those comments when we're eating," Beckett said, smiling at him as he grabbed her hand and squeezed it.

"You two are very cute together," Aime said with a smile. "I noticed that on the field too."

"Thank you," Castle said. "Though really, at our games?"

"The fact you kiss after every goal," David said to them.

"And you don't?" Beckett shot back, smiling at the same time.

"It's fun," David replied, laughing when his wife playfully punched his shoulder. "But this was a great dinner," he directed to John. "Will have to tell your wife once we get up."

"Thank you," the co-owner said with a nod. "I'm glad everyone's enjoying everything."

"It sounds like they usually do," Beckett said. "We heard from someone in Shirley that it's a popular party."

"It's one of the few we hold," John said with a nod. "We do have a Fourth of July party that's open to more people though since we hold it outside."

"Makes sense," Castle said as the last plates were taken away. After the co-owner then asked for them to follow him and his wife into the parlor he took Beckett's hand and asked her, "Do you want the masks?"

"Not yet," Beckett replied. "I feel sorry for…"

"I think their last name is Whitson," Castle replied, looking at who she was indicating. A couple dressed as Zorro and a Mexican folklorico dancer, the man having worn his mask through the entire meal. "Great costumes though."

"I know," Beckett said with a smile. "A lot of them are good ones."

Inside the parlor the guests started to mingle again, talking and looking outside to check the weather as two people from the catering company poured out drinks; champagne or bourbon for those who asked for it.

"So now you know what he meant by old costumes," Beckett said.

"Yeah, feels a lot like _To Catch a Thief_ ," Castle told her with a smile. "Well, the end of it anyway."

Beckett nodded, keeping silent as one of the two workers was reaching them and she took a glass of champagne as her husband did, tapping her glass to his. " _To tonight_ ," she told him.

" _To you, my incredibly gorgeous_ Bonnie," Castle told her, keeping his voice low. He laughed when she tapped him with her elbow, knowing she didn't mind the compliment.

Taking a sip at the same time as he did Beckett glanced around the room, seeing the others guests laughing and drinking. Something made her pause but she didn't know what when her husband grabbed her hand; letting her know that he had noticed too. But before she could say a word to him John and Beatrice Kemp were calling for attention.

"Okay so before we head into the ballroom we'd like to tell you a little bit about the scavenger hunt," Beatrice said. "First off it won't be happening until eleven so you have some time to dance."

"Second the first item will be told to you and once you find it you can come back down to the ballroom where we'll tell each couple… or person," John said. "The next item."

"What do we get if we get everything?" Melton asked. "Pride?"

"No we have some free weekends to the two who get everything the fastest," Beatrice answered.

"So now we can head on to the ballroom and dance," John finished with.

As the owners left and were leading everyone out of the room Castle turned to his wife as the Fosters walked up to them and said, "I think it's time love."

"Go ahead," Beckett said with a sigh before she took her mask from him.

"You don't want to wear that?" Rebecca asked as they trailed after their husbands.

"Not particularly," Beckett said simply. She then smiled at her friend and shrugged saying, "It makes it more authentic though; more like the costume on the show," though she was sighing again as she spoke. She had brought the mask up to her face and was about to ask Rebecca to help her tie it on the back of her head, under her _beret_ , when she heard a sudden scream.

"Stay back!" John said as others began to yell or scream. "Stay back. Rick, Kate?" the owner called as he looked back.

Feeling Beckett joining him Castle rushed through the other guests into the dining room and up to the ballroom where they saw something on the floor. "Is that…" he began to say as they stopped in the doorway.

Turning around John said, "Dr. Mudd?"

"Yes," the man said, coming up to them. He had been in the back of the group, so hadn't seen the body until that moment, pausing when he had. He went inside then with Castle and Beckett as Beatrice and an employee ushered the others back to the dining room and then the parlor.

"Beatrice?" Beckett called to the woman. "Make sure that everyone but the four of us are there."

"I will," the woman said, looking suddenly strained before she turned back to the other guests.

"I'm afraid she's dead…" Mudd said before he turned the woman over.

"Oh god," John exclaimed, turning at the sight of Helena Greenglass' face.

Beckett was startled herself and she glanced at Castle, sharing something in the exchange before they turned their attention to the doctor who was placing his fingers on the woman's neck. "So she is dead," she said simply.

"Strangulation," Castle said, looking at the vivid red line going across the skin of her neck. "Can you tell how?" he asked the doctor.

"Not really," Mudd said with a frown, looking closer. He shook his head and said, "You'll have to call the police."

"Of course," John said. "We have to get the body taken away…" he said nervously.

"I think you need to call first," Beckett told him gently, leading him over to the doorway. "And try to find the caterers, count and make sure that everyone's here."  
"What about her husband?" Mudd asked.

"Did you see him either?" Beckett said to Castle.

"I don't think so," he replied quickly, knowing she was talking about the fact that they'd both noticed the woman missing. "Hard not to miss her though."

"Yeah, Castle? Can you go to the parlor and find him," Beckett said since John had left at that point.

"I'll be back," Mudd told her. "Get a sheet or something to cover her."

"Do you want me to talk to him?" Castle asked her when they were alone.

"I'll join you but we need to wait for the doctor to come back," Beckett said, looking at the woman while they were walking to the door. "If you find him."

"Yeah," Castle said with a slight frown. "I'll come back." He stepped into the dining room and paused when he saw that David and Rebecca were there. "Guys?" he asked as Beckett stepped out behind him.

"Mr. Kemp asked me to stay," David said. "I guess because I'm a mayor," he said, shrugging in his confusion. "But is it true?"

"It's Helena Greenglass," Beckett said, knowing they weren't the killers as the couple had been near her and Castle since they had left the dining room. "And it looks like she was strangled."

Watching as Mudd entered the room past his wife Castle said, "I'll be right back."

"Is there anything we can do to help?" Rebecca asked her friend.

"Not really," Beckett said, watching over her shoulder as the doctor covered the body. "There's a key to this door," she then said to him when he walked up to the doorway. She paused and then scanned the ballroom, seeing that there were no other ways to get inside before telling him, "Find it and bring it back to me please."

When he had left David said, "Nothing to indicate someone broke in?"

"You can look, there's nothing disturbed," Beckett replied. "So it has to be someone in the house."

"I wish I'd paid attention a little better earlier," Rebecca said as Beckett closed the door. "Did you?"

"Rick and I did," she answered, nodding. It was then Beckett saw her husband coming back over and she asked, "Well?"

"No one's seen him," Castle replied. "I asked around and no one remembers seeing them while we were in the parlor."

Looking at the Fosters Beckett said, "They were sitting next to the Reids, do you remember seeing them when we left this room?"

Walking over to the table David said, "We sat here and walked…" before trailing off and shaking his head. "No, we were turned towards the parlor."

"You guys had to pause to get your hats," Rebecca then said. "Anything?"

"We got out before them," Castle said. "What if they held back to go inside the ballroom ahead of us. Was anyone in there already putting out dessert? Or they had a fight and ducked into the room."

Beckett recalled the couple at dinner and frowning said, "There's no possible way, someone would have seen. Especially Beatrice."

"She caught up with me before the Greenglasses got out of this room," John Kemp said, looking frustrated.

"What is it?" David asked, surprised at the way the man looked.

"Someone's cut the phone lines," John replied. "Yes, I tried a cell phone, a number of them. Look, the reception is messed up because of the storm outside."

Glancing to the windows near them Beckett saw the rain on the windows and said, "Someone needs to go into town."

"Someone is," John assured them. "One of the members of the catering company. He's taking one of their vans."

"Did you ask if everyone was there?" Beckett asked. She wasn't surprised when the owner swore and said, "We'll talk to them right now."

"Do you think…" John said, stopping the two are they moved to walk over to the door leading to the kitchen. "You can look into this for now? Until the police come at least?"

"We're doing so already," Castle answered for himself and his wife. He followed Beckett into the kitchen, seeing that the workers were all standing, leaning against something and looking nervous at the same time.

"Who're you?" one man asked, glancing down at Beckett's chest before looking back up at her.

"You're looking into the murder?" a woman asked before either Castle or Beckett could say anything.

"You're not cops," the man sneered.

"As good as for now," Castle said, a little angry at the man for ogling his wife. "They might not get here for a while."

"Who's in charge?" Beckett said, reaching over to cover his arm to calm him down.

"I am," the woman said.

"Is everyone here?" Beckett asked her.

Looking around the woman swallowed and said, "Two aren't."

"And did they both go?" Castle asked.

"No," the woman said. "Phil went to get the police and Lloyd."

"What about him," Beckett said, glancing at her husband as the woman stopped speaking there.

"He's… not here," she replied.

Straightening up Castle said, "When has everyone last seen him?"

"He was here up until we served the fruit plates," another man said. "And then he stepped out to smoke."

"Has anyone gone to look for him?" Castle asked.

"I did," the woman said. "Because we needed his help with the desserts and I saw him on the porch. I told him to stay under the awning this door has and that was the last time I saw him."

"That was the last anyone saw him?" Beckett asked. When everyone nodded she said to the woman in frustration, "Do you have the keys to your other van?" When she nodded and handed them over she held up her finger at the other workers' vocal objections to that and said, "I can't allow anyone to leave here until we or the police can clear them." She then turned to the woman and said, "What's your name?"

"Denise," she answered.

"Okay, Denise, how has Lloyd been tonight?" Beckett asked.

"He's not exactly happy about being in costume," Denise replied. "But he's been working no problem."

"Has he been talking about the guests at all?" Castle said.

"Just the costumes, we all have," Denise said, a few of her co-workers nodding in agreement with her.

"Can I ask something," Castle said then. "Is Lloyd about five ten, black hair and grey eyes?" When the woman nodded he looked at Beckett; since that was the man they'd seen in the bookstore earlier; and then nodded as she told them to stay in the house until the police allowed them to go before he followed her out.

"What do you think?" Beckett said to him

"It seems way too easy," Castle replied. "A smoke break at the same time as the murder."

"How do we know if he is a smoker?" Beckett asked.

"When we saw him at the bookstore he had stained fingers," Castle replied. "So he was a heavy smoker. Well, that and his voice."

"Okay if he went out he'd have to be crazy…" Beckett began. "What if he snuck into that van?"

"Then we're not going to get the cops out here," Castle said, thinking the same as her then, wondering if the man would harm the driver.

"John," Beckett said as the man suddenly appeared in the room. "Do you have security cameras?"

"I do but they're just for outside, not here in the house," the man replied.

"That'll be enough," Castle said before he and his wife followed him to a small room off the kitchen. He closed the door behind them and asked, "What about the parlor, is everyone there?"

"Yes Beatrice took a count, everyone is," John said before he swore and jumped up. "The door to the ballroom."

When they were alone with the door closed Beckett leaned against the wall with her arms crossed in front of her. "What are the odds," she said.

"For us, great," Castle said. "In the sense of something happening, not it being great. What do you think though?"

Knowing he was asking about a possible motive Beckett shook her head and then said, "I think there's the problem of us not knowing her. Can you get internet?"

Going onto his phone Castle shook his head before the door opened and John came back inside. "Do you know much about Mrs. Greenglass?" he asked as the man sat down in front of a TV screen.

"She and her husband were regulars," the co-owner told them simply.

"Do you know how their relationship was?" Beckett said.

Pausing in looking at some footage John said, "I think they were doing well, they seemed to be okay at dinner."

"What room were they in?" Castle said, seeing Beckett nodding to him in a kind of thanks for the question.

"They were on an end room, next to the Barclays," John said. He then jumped at the same time Castle and Beckett did when there was a loud clap of thunder and he said, "The police might not get out here even if the guy makes it to Shirley. The stream."

Remembering the small bridge they'd crossed on the way into the city Beckett clenched her teeth for a moment before she and Castle looked at the screen. She watched as in black and white a man got into a van and then pulled away from the house.

"There's another camera that'll see from behind," John said, showing them the time from when the third course had been served to that moment.

"Nothing," Beckett said, frowned. "Okay, we'll head to the parlor," she told the man. "Do you mind if I take the key to the ballroom?"

"No go ahead," John said, handing it and the ring it was on to Beckett.

"We'll need to move the body Kate," Castle said suddenly.

"Not yet," Beckett replied. "The police will get here at some point. What room are the Greenglasses in exactly?"

"In six," John replied.

"Thank you. Let's go," Beckett then said, directing the last to her husband.

Following her over to the stairs then Castle wasn't all that surprised when his wife started up to the second floor. "Skeleton key?" he asked her as she opened the first door using another key on the ring.

"Yes let's just hope no one set things up for their own personal sex room," Beckett commented before closing and locking that door as she hadn't found anything.

"That would be terrifying," Castle said as they peered in the Foster's room and their own room before starting to look into doors again until they got to the one with a six on it. When his wife opened the door he breathed out when he saw the entire room was visible and told his wife who had looked to him, "I was expecting to see Mr. Greenglass in here."

"There's still the bathroom," Beckett told him before they went over to the door. She opened it and when she saw that it was empty said, "Think he might have gone out back?"

"I was surprised you didn't ask about that," Castle replied as they left the room. After they'd made a quick check of the other rooms; not seeing anyone or anything; he followed her downstairs where they found John at the bottom of the stairs.

"You just looked into rooms-" the co-owner said, sounding incredulous.

"We had to, Mr. Greenglass is still missing," Castle interrupted him.

"We only did a cursory search of each room," Beckett then told him. "But we looked through the Greenglass' room a little more thoroughly."

"And there was no one in any of them," John said. When the two nodded he sighed in frustration and said, "You're not going to do that again."

"Unless we need to," Beckett said firmly.

The owner looked like he was going to protest but staring at her he finally said, "Just don't tell anyone you did that or else we'll be sued."

"We need to know if you have any security cameras in the backyard," Castle said then.

"We have one, pointed at the door going into the house," John replied. "But you know someone from the parlor would have seen them."

"We'd still like to see," Beckett said simply.

Nodding the co-owner led them back to the room, the catering employees sitting by then around the kitchen. "I would lock the door to keep them in," he said to Castle and Beckett once the door to the room was closed behind them.

"You can't really do that," Beckett said.

"They said they're not going to leave anyway, since they're missing a van and they can't all fit in one," John said, working on the TV screen before he moved aside. "Here."

Leaning over Castle and Beckett watched as there was nothing but a path that ran through the backyard to the woods out back until the footage caught up to real time. They stood and looked at each other for a moment, looking a little frustrated before she spoke first.

"I think now is the time to head to the parlor," Beckett commented. "You'll join us."

Nodding as that had not been a request John followed the couple to the room where the guests were still and watched as his wife came up to him. "Nothing," he said, shaking his head as he knew what she was going to ask. "But they're looking."

"We are," Castle said. "How is everyone doing?"

"We're missing Mr. Greenglass," Aime said, near the doorway. "It has to be him."

"We're not sure if he's in danger too," Beckett said simply. "We need to ask if anyone at all has seen anyone acting suspiciously since we left the dining room?" She wasn't surprised when everyone there started to glance around at each other and said, "So I guess I can take that as a no."

"I think so," Castle said in response. He then motioned to the Kemps to follow him and Beckett out to the hallway and when some of the people inside started to walk over to them he motioned to David.

"Keep them out?" the man asked.

"Yeah, thanks," Castle said before he went down the hall to where his wife was with the Kemps.

"Why did you ask us to come out here Castle?" Beckett asked when he had joined them.

"Do you have a list of names?" he asked.

"I'll go get it," John said quickly.

"Are you going to take attendance?" Beatrice asked in surprise.

"It'd be best," Castle replied. He looked at his wife and said, "To make sure that everyone is in fact here." When he realized how that sounded he quickly said, "Just to see who exactly is there."

"I understand," Beatrice said. "Excuse me, I need some water."

Watching the woman go Beckett turned to her husband when he suddenly kissed her, making her stiffen in surprise before she responded to him. She placed her hands on his chest, to push him away as she knew they wouldn't be alone for long, but he was soon pulling away from her. "Before we really need to look into this?" she asked, breathing out a little hard.

"That and you look gorgeous questioning and ordering people in that dress," Castle replied. When she gave him a look he smiled before they looked over to see that John was returning.

"Here's the list," the man told them. "And I got the list of people from the catering company that they sent me too." When John saw that they looked surprised to hear the last he said, "To make background checks, I've done that before. Here. There are eight of the ten people on that list in the kitchen now. And there are supposed to be twenty four of us now in the house… well, twenty-three."

Not surprised the man had ended slowly with that Beckett said. "We just need to find nineteen people."

"We should get started," Castle replied, going to the door of the parlor.

"Everyone," Beckett said loudly. "Thank you, we need to make sure that all of you are here."

"So what, you're going to take roll call?" a man asked sarcastically.

"It's necessary," Castle said, giving the man a glare.

Beckett began then to call out names to the room, jumping over the Greenglasses, the Kemps and herself and Castle. When she had finished she said, "Where's Mr. Pearson?"

"I…" his wife said, looking around. "He was…"

"He left," a woman dressed as a vampire said.

When several others agreed with that, Castle said to Mrs. Pearson, "Ma'am-"

"He just went to the restroom!" the woman cried, looking terrified. "That's all he was going to do."

"I'm here honey," a man said behind Castle and Beckett.

"Why are you wet?" Beckett said to him suspiciously.

"I… because I needed some fresh air," Pearson said angrily. "I'm a little claustrophobic and we've been in this room for too long. Aren't I?" he asked his wife.

"He is," she began. "Please, when we go on trips-"

"Okay," Beckett said, holding up her hand to cut the woman off. "John?"

"You want me to go with him?" David asked in surprise when she then said his name.

"To check," Castle said, knowing what his wife was thinking. He watched the two leave and said to Pearson, "Why didn't you stay under the patio cover?"

"Because I thought I saw something in the trees," the man replied in offense.

"Something or someone?" Beckett asked.

"Something, it was a squirrel," Pearson replied.

"Okay," Beckett said before she heard footsteps behind them. "Well?" asking David and John.

"He's telling the truth," David said. Next to Castle and Beckett he looked at everyone else and asked, "Did anyone see him from the dining room to here?"

"He's not a suspect anymore," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when Beckett looked at him from the corner of her eye; since that wasn't true yet; but when he saw the hands rising he said, "Definitely not a suspect. If you need to go outside again Pearson, let us know."

"Yeah," the man muttered before going to his wife.

"Now what?" a woman asked then.

"We need to wait for the police," Beckett said. "But I wonder if I might talk to the couple that was behind the Greenglasses when they were leaving the dining room. Mr. and Mrs. Barclay?"

The couple was about to step out from around the people in front of them when a loud boom of thunder made some of them in the room exclaim in surprise before the lights flickered. Just as the second bolt of lightning flashed outside the lights went out completely and they were left in the dark for a brief second.

"It's okay, we have a generator," John said when the lights were back on.

Before anyone could say anything to that though there was a distant scream and Castle and Beckett looked at each other before they ran back for the kitchen where it had come from. Coming into the room they saw that five of the six workers were there.

"Where's Denise?" Beckett asked.

"And who screamed?" Castle said.

"Help me!" the woman in question suddenly cried, coming out from the room with the TV and security camera footage. Her nose was bloody and she said, "Lloyd was here, he attacked me!"


	6. Room For Maybe Just One More

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Dead Man's Party by the band Oingo Boingo, from their album of the same name.

Looking on as the woman brought the mug of coffee to her lips Beckett glanced to Castle who was on the other side of the table from them and said, "Think you can talk with us about what happened?"

"Yeah," Denise said with a nod. "I was… just going in there to see what the hell that noise was."

"Did anyone else here hear that?" Castle asked the five other workers.

"Yeah," a man said.

"We all did," another added. "Some kind of weird… scratching sound. We were joking that it was a ghost cat or something; trying to get in."

"I thought it was Lloyd maybe, showing up after that smoke break," Denis said. "Maybe coming in and when I sent to look I was grabbed by a man, in a mask. But I'm sure his eyes were Lloyd's."

"Dressed up?" Beckett asked the woman.

"Yeah in a costume but I couldn't tell what it was," Denise replied. "Just that it was black, with a cape."

"Which means it could be four men from the parlor too," Beckett said, standing up straight.

"Or Lloyd who bought a cape," Castle replied. "Trying to frame someone from inside."

"But likely it could be Lloyd," one of the workers said.

"Are you okay?" Beckett asked the woman.

"Yeah thank you," Denise said, pressing a tissue to her nose to make sure it had stopped bleeding.

Leaving with Beckett then Castle followed her over to the ballroom and to the door at the opposite end where they faced each other. "He had to have known there were no security cameras at the door to that room," he began.

"As well as knowing the door was there," Beckett replied. "And judging by the fact the lock was tampered with he knew how to pick it which means he has a record."

"Which we can't check of course," Castle said, looking at his phone again and seeing no reception. "But what if it's Lloyd that's being framed?"

"Why would he be?" Beckett asked. "Castle," she said sternly when he didn't say anything to her question.

"No I'm thinking the person who has the cape was actually Greenglass and Lloyd worked with him to murder his wife," Castle said. "He paid Lloyd to take the blame; though of course he didn't inform him of the fact when he agreed to the job."

"We need to go outside," Beckett said suddenly.

"You're not considering my theory?" Castle asked her.

"Not until there's proof," Beckett replied. "And since we don't have Lloyd or Greenglass to ask…"

Castle watched as she went to the kitchen to find John who had stayed behind to talk to Denise and while he waited for her he put his hands in his blazer pockets, feeling papers in there. He took out the two lists they'd been given and then idly read the names of the workers from the catering company. "Beckett," he called suddenly. "Beckett we have a problem."

"What?" she asked when she turned to her husband.

"There's no Lloyd on this list," Castle said. "That doesn't sound like a nickname."

"He… said he was Albert Sitwell," Denise said when the couple and owner of the B&B looked to her. "But he preferred his middle name which was Lloyd."

"I checked those names months ago," John said, sounding frustrated as Castle and Beckett turned to him. "There could have been a Lloyd somewhere."

"We need a map to your property," Beckett said. "Because if Lloyd; if that's his real name; escaped then we need to find where he could have gone."

"This way," John said, leading them out to the entry and to the room to the right of it which was his and his wife's office. "Here," he told the couple pointing to a framed map on the wall. "That's my property."

Studying it, Castle said, "So he could have easily gone further through your neighbor's property."

"It would be foolish to do so," John commented. "There are no paths besides the one we have to the pond and then none to the homes surrounding us which are far away."

Beckett, studying the map, said, "I think we're going to have to do a search."

"In this weather?" John asked. When there was a bolt of lightning outside he told her, "Better if you just wait for the cops. Phil has to be into Shirley by now."

Before anyone could say anything to that there was a loud pounding at the door and Castle and Beckett followed the owner out to the entry to reveal a soaking wet man they assumed to be Phil.

"Sorry, I couldn't reach the town… the bridge was flooded and when I tried to get the van over by speed…" the man panted.

"It got stuck in mud," Castle finished for him. When the worker nodded and Beatrice rushed over with a blanket for him he asked him, "Phil? Did you see your coworker Lloyd at all?"

"Yeah he left with me," Phil replied, a little surprised to see the way everyone reacted to that. "He told me Denise said for us to go in pairs. But I was already down the road when he stopped me. Thought he was out of his mind doing that but I stopped and let him in. He went ahead to Shirley, he'll get the police."

Beckett exchanged a glance with her husband before they went over to the owner and she murmured to him, "You need to keep him in the house."

"He might be in collusion with Lloyd," Castle said. He watched as the two left with Beatrice trailing and he looked at David and Rebecca who'd gone over to the entry at some point. "Is everyone there?" he asked them.

"We've kept an eye on everyone," Rebecca replied with a nod.

"The best we could," David said. "Dale and Rowena are watching them now."

"I think the time has come," Castle said.

"What, to go through the looking glass?" David said in confusion.

"No," Castle said in exasperation.

"He means for you to help us investigate," Beckett told him. "We need to find out everything we can on Mr. and Mrs. Greenglass; as well as Albert Sitwell or Lloyd as he presented himself."

"And how are we going to do that?" Rebecca said.

"We need to talk to everyone in there," Castle said, nodding towards the parlor.

"And we'll divide everyone up if possible," Beckett said. "People who knew the Greenglasses and those who don't."

"You think they'll talk to us? Let alone you?" David said.

"I think I can help with that," John said from behind them suddenly. When the four had turned to him he explained, "And tell them that the Shirley police are unable to arrive for the time being but they've relayed to me that they want you to act in their stead until they get here."

"And they'll buy it?" David asked.

"They might," John replied. "Because they know the two of you and your background," he said to Castle and Beckett.

"We already figured," Castle replied. "Go ahead we need to talk with them for a second." When the man had left them he turned to David and Rebecca and said, "It's very simple."

Giving her husband a wry glance as he'd looked to her at that point Beckett then told them, "We need to you ask them what they noticed after dinner and if anyone saw anything outside at any point while they were in the parlor."

"Think we should ask about before tonight?" Castle said.

"With regards to the two," Beckett said, looking to the Fosters who nodded at that.

"Um, should we talk to them together or…?" Rebecca asked.

"Separate them," Castle and Beckett told them together. With that they went over to the parlor and seeing that all the couples were standing separated from each other they shared a momentary look.

"Does anyone have any problems speaking with us?" Beckett asked first. When there were only stares back at them she said, "Then I have to ask first, did anyone know the Greenglasses?" She looked over at those raising their hands and nodded slightly before saying, "Mr. and Mrs. Whitson? My husband and I would like to speak to you. Mr. and Mrs. Melton, David and Rebecca will speak with you for a moment."

Stepping out into the hall Castle suddenly saw the front door opening and he held his hand out to Beckett to keep her and the couple from walking out of the room. "It's him," he said as Maury Greenglass suddenly stumbled inside, soaking wet before landing on the floor. He ran with Beckett over to the man before he took him by the shoulder and made him sit up. "Beckett," he said to his wife as he saw the cut on the side of the man's forehead.

"Here," Beatrice said, running over with some towels.

"What happened," Greenglass said, his voice a little slurred as he looked at the people surrounding him. "Helena?"

Shaking her head as the others looked to her Beckett watched as Castle and David helped the man stand up and she said, "Can we take him into the office?"

"Go ahead," John said.

"I'll get him more towels," Beatrice said.

" _I don't think she thinks he's a suspect_ ," Castle said to his wife as he let John take the man into the room.

" _I'm thinking that less and less myself_ ," Beckett replied. "Was his costume damaged at all?"

"You mean snagged?" Castle asked her. When his wife nodded he said, "No, so wherever he was wasn't out in the woods."

"That cut…" Beckett started to say. She then stopped and shook her head before saying, "We need to talk to him."

Castle followed her into the office and watched the others leave, though John hesitated a little bit. "We'll be alright," he assured the man.

"Leave the door open," Beckett said, sitting at the other desk chair that she had pushed in front of the man. When Castle was standing next to her she knew they were alone and she said to the man, "Where were you this entire time?"

"I don't know," Greenglass said. "I went into the ballroom with Helena and something hit the back of my head… hard. When I woke up I was… in a shed I think it was old I was able to knock down the door."

"Did they hit your wife first?" Castle asked.

"No, me, I heard her start to cry out before everything went black," Greenglass said.

"Was anyone with you when you waited for the rest of us to leave the room?" Beckett asked.

"No we made sure everyone left and slipped into the room before the workers came out to the dining room. We were going to… fool around for a second. What about Helena? She didn't tell you?" Greenglass answered.

"Mr. Greenglass, I'm afraid that your wife has been murdered," Beckett said calmly as Castle shifted next to her.

"What? That was… she was right next to me," the man said, looking stunned. "No, she's not; this is just a prank… for Halloween."

"I'm afraid not," Beckett said. "She was found in the ballroom."

"You…" Greenglass started to say before he began to laugh hysterically.

"Mr. Greenglass," Castle said.

The man wouldn't stop laughing and John ran into the room saying, "I don't think you'll be able to talk with him anymore."

"He's right," Beckett said as her husband looked to her. "We need to get him up to his room."

"And just leave him alone?" David asked, having come up to the doorway at the sound.

" _We'll need to lock it from the outside_ ," Beckett told her husband as they watched John and David help the then sobbing man out of the chair and out of the room. " _I don't think I can trust anyone out there_."

"Neither can I," Castle said. "But where is their room key?"

Beckett squeezed his hand for a moment before she saw him nod, not surprised when he brought hers up to his lips to kiss before they left the room and went upstairs. When they'd made it to the Greenglass room she went over to the bed where the two men were setting him down.

"He wanted to lie down," David explained. "Told him he might want to get changed but he shoved me away."

"Is he not talking?" Beckett asked.

"No," John said with a frown as he watched the man.

"Let me," Beckett told him simply. She waited for him and David to leave, watching as Castle stationed himself in the doorway before she went over to the side of the bed; which fortunately in that room was visible from where her husband was standing. "Maury?" she asked the man.

Turning his head slowly Greenglass blinked once at her and then looked away.

"I'm not going to say anything about what happened to you," Beckett replied, reaching for a tissue on the nightstand to dab at his cut. She felt awkward in doing so and when the man grasped her wrist tightly before she could lower it to his forehead she had a feeling that he did too. She held her hand up to Castle who she'd been able to see was about to come inside the room. "Sorry; you should get that looked at though," she told him. "I just need to ask you one thing," she told him.

Castle ignored his wife's motion with her hand for him to step back, feeling like he needed to be close to her for some reason. When Greenglass pointed to his blazer pocket he couldn't stop himself and stepped forward. "Maury," he told the man, grabbing Beckett by the waist as she tried to push him away. "I think it's better I get that key, I don't want Helena getting mad at my wife."

"No," Greenglass said, his voice hoarse. "Good idea. Thank you."

Getting the room key Castle followed his wife to the windows, making sure they were all unable to be opened before they left the room.

"What the hell Rick," Beckett said in anger.

"Not because I was jealous," Castle said shortly. "I thought it would be better for him to hear from us that we're not believing his wife…"

"At least you got the room key," Beckett said, tucking it with the other keys she had in the right pocket of her dress. "I think we need to head back to the parlor, talk with the Whitsons."

"And everyone else," Castle said before they headed down the stairs. "Have you talked to anyone at all?" he asked the Fosters who they soon came up to them in the hall on the way to the parlor. "Where is everyone going?" he asked.

"We couldn't stop them," David began.

"We're having dessert," one woman said. "Or attempting to."

"Where?" Beckett asked.

"The living room," Beatrice said, coming out of the room with her husband. "I'm sorry we couldn't keep them, they're getting thirsty and…"

"They shouldn't head out," Rebecca said. "It's pouring and we're all in costumes. Hard to run around with those on."

"I know," Beckett said, still not liking the situation.

"How's he doing?" David asked.

"In shock and when he comes out of it I don't think he'll believe his wife is dead," Castle said grimly. "We should follow love."

Without a word to them Beckett turned to start walking after the other guests, going into the living room she knew was for the Kemps since it led to their bedroom on that floor. "John, Beatrice," she said, suddenly remembering something in having the chance to think about what she and Castle had learned. When the couple came over to her and Castle who had let the Fosters walk ahead of them she asked, "Do you have a shed on the property?"

"Oh, the old one," Beatrice said, looking to her husband.

"Yes it's about… thirty feet past the pond," John said. He looked thoughtful for a moment and then said, "I'd say equidistant from the edge of the property and the pond. Why?"

"That's where Mr. Greenglass told us he was being kept," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised to see their shocked expressions and asked, "How many people would know about that shed?"

"Anyone who's been there, we've never spoken about it," Beatrice said. "I've told him; not in front of guests; to demolish it because it's become derelict. So… what does that mean?"

"I'm not sure," Beckett said, looking to her husband. When he shook his head she then told the couple, "We're not sure what it could mean."

"Would you be able to figure this out?" John said. "We'd be grateful… I can give you those weekends… sorry," he trailed off quickly when he saw the slightly incredulous looks the two were giving him. "I just… wanted this night to go perfectly."

"You'll need to call off that scavenger hunt," Castle said, having a weird feeling as he was saying that.

Watching the Kemps walk away Beckett felt the same but she remembered in time to tell them, "Can you have the Whitsons come out to speak with us?"

"They're not suspects are they?" Castle asked when they were alone, indicating the owners.

"They might be in shock themselves," Beckett said to him simply, shaking her head. "And we saw them the entire time until we left the parlor."

"Yeah hard to miss that pitchfork," Castle said wryly.

Beckett didn't have a chance to reply as at that moment the couple they had been planning on speaking to earlier was walking out to them. "Mrs. Whitson," she said as Castle led the woman's husband back down the hall.

"Look I wasn't exactly friends with Maury and Helena," she said abruptly. "I knew them from past trips here but not that well we could be called that."

"That's fine," Beckett replied. "Just let me know what you do about them."

"They were happy and in love I think they were talking about having kids," Mrs. Whitson replied.

"There was never any kind of problem between them when you saw them Mrs. Whitson?" Beckett asked.

"It's Simone," she said impatiently. "No, look can you find the person who did this? I'm… feeling a little scared."

"It would be best if you stayed with everyone else for now," Beckett replied. "Do you know who else knew Helena and Maury?"

"Rory and Leah, the Plumeys," Simone told her.

"Simone," a voice said away from them then. It was Mr. Whitson and after hugging his wife tightly he pulled her over to the living room without a word to Beckett or Castle who had walked up behind him.

"What'd she tell you?" he asked his wife.

"Nothing much, just that they knew the couple from coming here," Beckett replied. "I think she's a little unsettled."

"He let me know that they were happy together," Castle said as he knew from his wife's look that she wanted him to tell her. "And speaking with him personally a few times Maury said they were going to try and start a family."

"She told me the same," Beckett said. "But I noticed Zorro with us the whole time."

"Me too," Castle said. "Ah, she told you about the Plumeys."

"Yeah have fun with him," Beckett said as they watched the couple, dressed in costume from the Regency era, pause before continuing on to them. "Leah?" she asked the woman.

"Yes," she replied, smiling faintly as she watched Castle lead her husband away.

"Rory," Castle said to the man once they were in hall. "What can you tell me about the Greenglasses, how did you know them?"

"We knew them from our apartment building," Rory answered. "Well, Clara and I moved about six months ago, but before that we lived on the same floor."

"How would you classify their relationship?" Castle then said.

"They were close," Rory said immediately. "We met them just before they got married two years ago and through that time they were… a normal couple. In love though you know they had their disagreements and everything."

"Did they speak to you about having any concerns while they were here?" Castle said. "About anything."

"No it was just a trip," Rory answered. "They told me about their costumes…"

"What is it?" Castle said, picking up on the man's realization when he'd trailed off.

"Well earlier today Maury told me about seeing someone outside last night," Rory said. "Earlier this morning actually and it looked like they were scouting around; according to him."

"That's it?" Castle said.

"Yeah," Rory said, looking a little startled.

"Thank you for speaking to me," Castle said. He watched the man walk back to his wife and breathed out slightly, realizing what they needed to do. Bracing himself he went back to his wife and said, "She told you the same story?" his tone a little hopeful.

"What, the same as what the Whitsons told us?" Beckett asked.

"Oh good," Castle said. And with that he told her what Rory had said to him, ending with, "So we need to talk to Maury."

"Yes, of course, not like we barely spoke with him before," Beckett said with a brief frown.

Watching her look back at the living room where people were sitting or walking around, talking quietly, Castle said, "Do you want to keep talking to them first?"

"I think we should, see if we can get someone else Maury told the story to," Beckett said. And with that she and her husband went to the doorway, calling to the Musgraves to speak with them.

* * *

"I'm not sure about this," Beckett was telling her husband a little later as they were going up the steps. "He might not want to see me there, memories of his wife."

"Just stay in the doorway," Castle told her reassuringly. He unlocked the door to room six and stepped inside, seeing that Greenglass was standing at the window, looking down at the backyard. "Maury?" he said at a lower volume to not startle the man.

"She loved the woods," the man said in a dull sounding voice.

"So she enjoyed your view," Castle said, looking at Beckett who nodded to him.

"She loved it," Maury said. "Did she… suffer?" he whispered.

"We don't know," Castle said.

Beckett didn't reply to that, since after the man's reaction earlier to the news she didn't think telling him the entire truth would work. She watched her husband walk up to the man at the window, placing his hand on his shoulder.

"She was beautiful," Maury said.

"Did you let her know about what you saw last night?" Castle chanced asking after her nod to the man's statement.

"This morning," Maury corrected him. "There was a man there… looking through the trees and then up at the house."

"Could you tell what he looked like?" Castle asked.

"No, it wasn't light yet," Maury replied. "But he had blonde hair, very blonde hair that was in a buzz cut."

"You couldn't tell how tall he was could you?" Castle then said. At the man's shake of his head he then said, "Listen, do you need anything at all? Is there anything I can do for you?"

"No," Maury said. "I just want to stay here."

With a nod that the man didn't see Castle left him at the window and locked the door behind himself and Beckett before he said, "There's no one here with hair like that."

"I know I thought that as soon as he said it," Beckett replied. "I wish we could get a height from him."

"Not that that always works," Castle told her. "Remember Michipicoten."

Sighing Beckett then said, "I think we're at an impasse."

"Which makes sense, this isn't a normal investigation," Castle replied, pulling her to a stop at their door.

"What you want to take a nap?" Beckett asked, one eyebrow raised.

"No I just want to get this hat off, it's bothering me," Castle replied. He opened the door since he had that key and then went inside after his wife. "I'm wondering if we should do a search of the ballroom."

"What we should do," Beckett said, setting her _beret_ on the table before she turned to him. "Is take pictures of the room."

"Fully document it?" Castle asked. He then heard footsteps after his wife had nodded her head and he looked with her to the door way, seeing that it was David and Rebecca. "Yes?" he asked them.

"Mr. Kemp is getting desperate," Rebecca commented. "He's offering four free weekends here to anyone who can find the killer."

"As if it were a game," David said, slightly angrily.

"He's panicked, you can tell," Beckett replied with a sigh. "And I don't blame him, since the police can't get here of course."

"How much is this like your story?" Rebecca said as they turned to the window at another flash of lightning.

"It's a slight resemblance," Castle said, Beckett nodding next to him. "Very slight."

"Some of them down there are talking about helping you," David said.

"To prove they're not the killers?" Beckett said.

"They seem to be wary of those that they didn't see the whole time in the parlor," Rebecca said.

"That would be everyone basically," Castle said. When the others looked to him he explained saying, "That room is not that big, we were within sight of the door. The only two people who weren't there were the Greenglasses."

"Which means it's got to be someone from the catering company," Rebecca said.

"It's likely," Beckett said. "But…"

"Too easy?" Castle said. When his wife nodded he then said, "Yeah I had the same feeling. Plus there's the fact that we have no motive."

"We should talk to the people on our side of the table," Beckett said suddenly. She wasn't surprised when David and Rebecca turned to her and she told them, "They would have seen something in the dining room, since Lloyd served on that side."

"But there's a problem with that," David hurriedly said.

"Nothing was going on," Castle and Beckett said at the same time. They looked at each other and he sighed saying, "That is the problem. But then of course that could mean they knew each other outside of the B&B and coming here… something happened to push Lloyd to commit murder."

"Where are they from?" Rebecca asked.

"We're not sure," Castle said. "But we do know one thing."

"Yes we do, they're not from Shirley," Beckett said. She then turned to David and Rebecca and said, "When we were in town earlier today the cashier at the toy store told us how no one from the town was able to get rooms for this party. So the Greenglasses are from outside of Shirley."

"I wonder if Lloyd could have known them still," Castle replied.

"I know they could have met anywhere," Beckett replied, shaking her head.

"I hate to ask this," David then said after they were quiet for a moment. "She wasn't… taken advantage of was she?"

"We don't know," Beckett said, not surprised when Castle began to open his mouth to protest. "And we won't until the ME takes her."

"You're thinking it was a random attack," Castle said for his friend. When he nodded he told David, "It's possible; hell it could be Jason getting revenge on Maury because he drowned him in the lake at summer camp. Who knows?"

"This is disturbingly like a horror movie," Rebecca said.

"I know but in those you get a more concentrated set of murders," Castle said. "And there's always a reason."

"There's a reason here Castle we just don't know it yet," Beckett said.

"What are you going to do now?" Rebecca asked. "We talked with a few couples but after a while they refused to go with us into the family room."

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said with a frown. "You know we need to ask the couples we talked to where they're from," she said to her husband.

"Hopefully they'll know," Castle replied before there was another burst of lightning.

"I hope our daughters are all okay," David said, sounding uncomfortable as they looked outside at the same time again.

"They're with their grandparents," Beckett said, though she couldn't help feeling some slight guilt not being home in case Julia and Eliza needed her.

Squeezing his wife's hand as he knew what she was thinking and letting her know he agreed with her Castle said, "We know one thing, whoever the hell the killer is has to take shelter from this. They're dead if they try and go anywhere."

"The road," David said but he knew his friend was right as there were trees all over that same road outside the home.

Beckett shook her head and said, "We should get back to the case."

"Is it really?" Rebecca asked.

"Unfortunately yes," Beckett replied. "Come on."

After the Fosters had left the room and he'd placed his cap on the table next to his wife's _beret_ Castle said, "I wonder if we should take another roll call when we get down there."

"Maybe," Beckett said absently. She stopped as the others were walking to the stairs and said, "Rick?"

At his name Castle turned around in surprise and he said, "What?"

"Can you and David ask him where he's from?" Beckett said.

"Oh yeah why didn't I think of that…" Castle said, motioning to his friend.

"Hopefully he's up to it," Rebecca said.

"He did speak to us before," Beckett commented as they waited near the stairs. When the two men came running out of the room a short time after they'd entered it she asked, "What?"

"He's gone," Castle said. "The window's wide open."

"What?" Beckett said again in her shock. She ran to the room with Rebecca where she saw her husband hadn't been lying, the window was wide open and letting in the rain.

"You can't open the windows," Rebecca said as she followed Beckett into the room. "How…"

"It was forced open," Beckett said. "Someone scraped along the edge… but this doesn't look fresh."

"No," Rebecca said as she looked at the marks. "Some of the marks here are though so maybe he discovered that he could open them. But how did he get down there without breaking his-"

"We found him," David said suddenly from behind them.

"Where?" Beckett asked as she and Rebecca hurried to him.

"He snuck out and is trying to get into the ballroom," David replied as they headed down. "Rick's talking to him now, trying to get him to stop."

"Is Beatrice with everyone?" Beckett asked John as she saw the man was waiting for them.

"She is," the man replied. "Should we let him see his wife?"

Beckett didn't reply to that instead motioned for him, David and Rebecca to remain where they were before she went into the dining room. She closed the door behind her waiting to see what Castle; at the other end of the table; would indicate to her.

"Look," Castle said to the young man. "I'm telling you that you really shouldn't go into that room. You don't want to remember her like this."

Since her husband had motioned to her briefly with his hand Beckett hurried to them and when Greenglass had noticed her she said, "Are you alright?"

"Why would you ask that?" the man asked in confusion.

"The window in your room is open," Castle said, looking at his wife at that question.

"Didn't do that," Greenglass said, shaking his head. "I just came down here to see my wife. Let me see her please. He's not letting me go so I guess you have the key. Please Ms. Beckett."

"I can't," she said with a sigh. "It's a crime scene in there now and we can't let you go inside. Can you give us your spare room key you used to get out?"

Greenglass looked like he was going to protest but finally reached into his jacket pocket, pulling out a key. After he handed it to Beckett he told her, "Am I a suspect?"

"We're trying to keep you safe," Castle said. "We're not sure the killer won't want to target you as well."

"But… the window?" Greenglass asked.

"Do you think you'll be alright staying in the living room with everyone else?" Beckett asked him instead of replying. She knew he was right about the window and looking to Castle she saw he'd realized that as well.

"Yeah just… let me see Helena," Greenglass said before his voice became a little weak.

"I'm sorry," Beckett said then, meaning that. She nodded to Castle who helped the man stand up before she led them to the living room. She wasn't surprised, when she stepped first into the doorway, when everyone fell silent and looked over at her, Castle and Greenglass briefly before they looked away.

"Mr. Greenglass," Beatrice said, coming over to him. "Would you like something to drink?"

"Can your wife keep an eye on him?" Castle asked John as the man came over to him and Beckett.

"Of course," the man said. "Where are you going?" he asked as they then turned to leave.

"We're going to do a quick check outside," Beckett replied. When they had stepped out she said, "Good thing we have our umbrella," to her husband as they went to the entry closet.

"And coats," Castle said, watching her put hers on. "We just need a flashlight… hello."

Beckett couldn't help smiling at his reaction to finding an electric lantern but she told him, "A flashlight will help too."

Handing the one that was next to the lantern to his wife; Castle turned and saw that David was coming out to them. "What?" he asked.

"I'm coming with," their friend said firmly as he reached past them for his coat and then another flashlight.

"Because Rebecca told you?" Castle asked as he was the first to the door.

"And because I can't let you go out without any kind of weapon," David said.

"Do you have a gun somewhere on you?" Castle asked him.

"Rick, open the door," Beckett said in slight exasperation. They went out onto the porch then and the rain immediately filled her ears as it was pouring still. "We can't go out past this porch," she told the two men; having to yell so they'd hear her.

"You mean you can't," Castle told her. "Not with those heels."

Beckett wanted to protest but she knew that her husband was right about her shoes possibly hindering her so she walked with Castle until they reached the steps down. It was as they were going to their right, towards the door to the small room where Denise had been attacked, that she noticed the paved path. "I'm still going," she said to her husband.

Castle said nothing, holding the lantern ahead of him before he realized something, turning and saying "David you need to watch-"

"I know, I am," he replied quickly. "Not seeing anything but wet foliage."

Turning back to start forward again Castle walked with Beckett to the door and he paused there with her. They looked at the doorframe from that side before he said, "Definitely tampered with."

"I had a feeling," Beckett replied, trying not to shiver as the cold was going through her body.

Looking at her Castle could tell that she was holding back the fact that she was growing chilled but decided not to comment on it as he knew she wouldn't appreciate it. So he led them around the house until they reached the very back of the house. Turning his head up to the open window he shook his head and said, "He would have a really hard time getting in."

"Never mind his need to pull the window out," David said. "So either Greenglass did it himself-"

"Or someone came into the room after," Beckett said.

"I really wish he had cameras on the halls," Castle said with a frown.

"Anything?" Beckett asked David who was still looking out to the trees.

"No," he replied, able to speak at a more normal volume since the rain had begun to ease up slightly.

"Hopefully it'll stop so the police-" Beckett began to say before a bright flash of lightning lit up the trees in front of them.

Counting the space between that and the boom of thunder Castle said, "Three miles away. The killer is definitely somewhere around here."

"He could still be desperate enough to try and escape," David said. He wasn't surprised when the two just looked at him and he shrugged saying, "I'm not an investigator."

"No he's not finished," Beckett said, but she had spoken absently, looking ahead in the distance at something that was on the ground.

"What?" Castle asked. When she didn't answer and just began to walk he hurried after her so she wouldn't get wet. But just as he caught up to her the rain stopped after getting down to a mere drizzle. He kept the umbrella over them both until he reached the patch of white on the ground. "A note?" he said incredulously as the white paper was inside a bag.

"So this was planned," Beckett said as they looked up when David reached them.

"It looks like it could be," Castle said.

"Aren't you guys going to open that?" David said as he watched her.

"Inside," Beckett replied. "And with gloves we will."

"So are we done?" David asked, seeing Beckett tuck the bag into one of Castle's pockets.

"No we still need to look around and see what we can find," Castle replied before he closed the umbrella and then followed Beckett around the house until they had reached the front again. "No surprise," he told his wife as they went up the stairs.

"I know," Beckett said. She paused when she had stepped onto the porch and said, "I wonder if we should send someone-"

"Still dangerous," Castle said as there was another flash of lightning. "And you can hear the stream."

"There's got to be someone coming from the other direction though," David replied.

"They're going to take a while to get here," Beckett said, sighing.

"Let's get inside, see what the note says," Castle said, reminding them.

When they were in the house and had left everything at the closet at the entry Beckett led the two men; and eventually Rebecca; to the dining room where she went to the kitchen.

"What?" one of the men there said.

"I need all of you to go to the living room with all the other guests," Beckett told them.

"Why?" the same man asked.

"Because you can get something to eat and drink," Beckett replied simply, feeling Castle behind her. She stepped with him out of the way of the workers and watched David and Rebecca lead them out of the dining room. "Okay," she said, going to where she had seen a box of rubber gloves earlier. She tossed a pair to her husband and they went to the table in the kitchen where she took the note in the bag that he still had.

When Beckett laid the paper out on the table top Castle said, "This…"

"Yeah," she replied as they looked at the rapidly scribbled note. "Come on," Beckett told her husband as she quickly got the note back in the bag. Handing it to Castle to hold on to she went with him to the living room and grabbed John, leading him outside to the entry where her husband was waiting.

"What?" the owner asked in surprise.

"We found a note," Castle said, showing it to the man. "And it said that there were five more murders left."

"Did," John said, laughing slightly uneasily, "Did it say anything else?"  
"Whoever knows the first victim," Beckett said easily, paraphrasing from the note.

"And we talked to five other couples," Castle said. "Whitson, Plumey, Pearson, Musgrave and Scarborough."

"So… what should we do?" John asked.

Surprised when the man looked at them expectantly Beckett exchanged a look with her husband before saying, "We need to keep an eye on them. For now we'll stay in the room with you all since there's nothing we can really do right now."

Castle held his wife back a little when they started to follow John back to the living room asking her, "Do you think-"

"No we saw him remember," Beckett cut him off with in case the owner could hear them. "And Beatrice, they were here the entire time. But I know it's tempting to think that."

"So I guess now it's just a waiting game?" Castle asked.

"It is, I don't know what else we could do until the police come," Beckett replied.

"If they come," Castle said, nodding to the windows of the room where they could see heavy rain pelting the glass again.

"They will," Beckett said, though she didn't have much confidence in that.

"Then can I get you some coffee?" Castle asked her.

Beckett nodded and then walked over to the Fosters who were talking to the Reids. "How is everyone doing?" she asked.

"Good, Mrs. Kemp took roll before you both came in," Dale replied. "But everyone's a little…"

"Mutinous for lack of a better word," Rowena said.

"They hold it against me I have the keys to the ballroom?" Beckett asked.

"That and I think they're a little afraid of you," Rebecca said honestly. "Seriously, I think they're expecting you two to accuse them of murder at any second now."

"We won't, we have no evidence," Castle said, coming over to her. "I couldn't get to the coffee love, why don't we duck out to the parlor. With someone coming with us."

"We'll go," Rebecca and Dale said at the same time.

"Thank you," Beckett said with a nod to them. With that she left the room with the other two couples who were glancing at her. "Yes?" she asked once they were in the parlor and she was sitting on the largest couch as David stoked the fire with Dale's help.

"How're you doing?" Rebecca asked.

"Fine, a little upset at the change in plans but of course there's not much I can do," Beckett said.

"Can I ask," David said as he turned to her. "What about that note?"

"I think we should let them know," Castle said. "Also get those five in here; and Greenglass."

"Look," Beckett said to the Reids who appeared to be perplexed; as was Rebecca. "Rick and I know you're not the killers, no one here in this room is. But you cannot say a word to anyone but the police once they're here." When the three said they wouldn't she told them about the note and what they'd discovered so far.

"Well… it's going to be hard for this Lloyd guy to get to them," Dale said first.

"As long as we stay together," Rowena said, hesitating a moment when they heard music playing.

"What is it?" Beckett asked her husband as he walked into the room then with a large tray.

"Beatrice and John asked me to bring all this," Castle said. When his wife just looked at him he sighed and said, "They're playing music, to dance."

"Good idea," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised at four shocked looks and she quickly told them, "The Kemps are trying to keep everyone calm, which is great because I don't need them attacking me for having the ballroom key."

"Do you think we should let the couples know they're in danger?" Castle then said as he poured out the coffee into the mugs.

Beckett thought that over for a moment before she was startled when Rebecca spoke to her.

"I think you should Kate," the woman told her friend. "I would want to know if my life was in jeopardy if it were David and I in this situation."

"We can tell Mr. Kemp to let them know," David said quickly.

"Let me know what?" the man himself said in the doorway of the room. "And you can call me John."

"Can you tell the remaining couples and Mr. Greenglass to come here?" Beckett said.

"We might need some more mugs," Castle said absently as he looked down at the tray while his wife was standing. He looked over to the doorway with the others as soon after John had left as Greenglass entered with all the other couples except for the Whitsons. "Where are Simone and Brent?" he asked.

"They're coming, they're finishing their coffee," Rory Plumey said. "What is it?"

"My husband and I were walking around the home," Beckett began as she saw that John was looking out in the hall. "But I should wait."

"They're coming right now," John said before he left the room.

Beckett frowned at that and then felt her husband placing his hand on her back before she said, "You better head out and get them."

With a brief nod to her Castle started to step around the couches and armchairs to get to the doorway when the lights flickered before they shut off completely, making a couple of the women in the room cry out. "John!" he yelled in slight frustration.

"It's-" John began to call before the lights came back on within the house.

A sudden shriek echoed through the abode before everyone ran to the entry where it had come from. There they found Aime Melton standing with her husband at the bottom of the stairs, looking upwards.

Going over to the couple Castle and Beckett followed their gaze and saw what it was that had made the woman shriek. There at the top was the body of a man in tall black boots and a cape, swinging very slightly but otherwise motionless.


	7. Hit By Something

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Dead Man's Party by the band Oingo Boingo, from their album of the same name.

"Simone?" Beckett said, reaching down to the woman who she'd found at the top of the stairs, trying to block her view. "Can you hear me?"

"Yes, what… what are you doing?" she asked, attempting to sit up then. She glared at Beckett before she pushed her out of her way. "Oh my… god," she cried when she then saw her husband being carried away. "What happened? Is he okay?"

"I'm afraid he's dead," Beckett replied. She wasn't surprised when the woman cried out in obvious pain and she grabbed her arm as she nearly began to collapse to the floor.

"How… we… we were coming upstairs to go to our room," Simone replied, tears in her eyes. "We just wanted to break from the living room and then I was hit on the back of the head."

Castle, who had helped the other two men carry the body of Whitson to the couple's room, murmured into his wife's ear when he had reached her and when she looked at him he nodded.

"What is it?" Simone asked, looking back and forth between the two of them.

"He hung himself," Beckett said as gently as she could.

The woman's eyes widened considerably before she said, "No my husband wouldn't commit suicide, we have a son… he loved him. No this is the murderer, he targeted my husband. Where is he?"

"Mrs. Whitson," Castle said, trying to grab for her though she shoved him away before he could get a hold of her arm.

"Simone," Beckett started to say, thinking that the woman was going to try and see her husband. She rushed down the stairs after her to the parlor and grabbed her arm just before she launched herself at Greenglass.

"You bastard! You killed my husband!" Simone was screaming at him as Castle helped his wife in pulling her away.

"Someone… thank you," Castle started to say looking around at the guests and workers. "Does anyone know the man who was calling himself Lloyd?" he nearly yelled to all the guests surrounding the room.

Beckett wasn't in the least surprised when no one answered that and she then said, "Then was anyone able to notice the fact the Whitsons weren't there?"

"Okay," Castle said after a few people raised their hands. "What about someone else or another couple?"

"When did they leave?" Beckett asked, not putting that question to Simone as she didn't think she was in a fit state to answer.

"It was when I was looking back into the room," John said. "I thought they were coming here."

"They thought it was fine to go up," Castle said. When his wife nodded in agreement he then said, "What about before that, when we all gathered together in the living room?"

"He was in the family room," Mrs. Scarborough said, motioning to Greenglass who seemed to be a little perplexed after nearly being attacked.

"She's right," another guest said, others nodding in agreement.

"I don't think he had anything to do with this murder," Beckett said. "We don't," she quickly corrected herself. "Okay we'll head upstairs, no one move out of the Kemps' sight." She and Castle left the parlor after making sure Simone was secure there with other guests and once they were alone on the staircase she told him, "It's a little suspicious."

"Too fast," Castle replied before he looked at where the rope that had still held Whitson was still hanging. "To knock out her and then get him up and over."

"So Lloyd might not be working alone," Beckett mused.

"What're you thinking?" Castle asked.

"We need to isolate the rest of them," Beckett said.

"The living room again?" Castle suggested.

"I don't think so," Beckett replied easily. "It might be better if we had them in the library with David and Dale keeping watch."

"Right I should go tell them," Castle said as he then turned to head back down the stairs.

Beckett remained where she was to wait for him and she went over to the railing where the rope was hung over, seeing that there was a fixture on the wall that the end was tied to.

"Ms. Beckett?" Mudd said, coming out to her.

"Were you able to find anything?" Beckett asked him.

Mudd held his finger up to her and they looked down together to see that Castle was rushing back up to them. "Follow me, it's better if you see this," he told them simply.

As they passed the Greenglass room Castle glanced inside to check on the sight of water on the floor to maybe clue them to the fact that the window had been used by the killer to get in again. But since the rain was coming in there was no way to discern if a person had brought any water in with them, the rug there too dark to tell if water was tracked on it. He turned his head to his wife to see she was doing the same and he frowned slightly before they entered the Whitson's room where the man was laying on the bed.

"So the obvious cause of death is strangulation," Mudd began for the two. "But when I got his accessories off of him I noticed this."

"Bruises," Castle murmured. "In the shape of fingerprints."

Beckett didn't say anything to that news at first, watching the way the man's fingers were next to the oval shapes on the skin, around six inches below his right wrist. "We can eliminate the guests with this," she suddenly said.

"What?" Castle asked before he looked down at the wrist again and quickly discerned what she was talking about. "Could we?" he asked the doctor across the bed from them.

Studying the fingertip bruises Mudd soon told them, "I believe you could, this is the right thumb and forefinger. But how would you-"

"There are boxes of rubber gloves," Beckett replied. "Castle, stay with him and I'll come back up with everyone."

"Is it possible to narrow down the gender?" Castle said when he and the doctor were alone.

"I don't think so," Mudd replied, shaking his head. "Listen, you spoke with him and his wife and he then gets murdered-"

"It wasn't us," Castle said quickly, a little annoyed at the accusation.

"I'm not saying it was, but…" Mudd said.

"Believe me, you'll be fine," Castle said simply, looking over to the door. He was a little uncomfortable with the doctor uneasily glancing away from him so he went over to the doorway to wait for his wife.

"… not until you two prove yourselves innocent," a voice was saying in slight anger as they came up the stairs.

"My husband and I will do the same thing," Beckett said, coming upstairs from the parlor where she'd gathered everyone to go up. Looking at her husband she rolled her eyes and said, "We have to go in groups of four."

"Okay," Castle said easily, taking the glove she tossed to him. He quickly pulled it on and then went with the Manchesters, Kemps and Musgraves into the room before he paused for Greenglass to join them.

"You two first," Mr. Manchester said, sounding uneasy and trying to be strict.

Giving her husband a very slight shake of her head when he glanced to her briefly Beckett went over to the body and put her fingers next the shapes. The bruising showed up underneath and she let go, watching as her husband put his fingers on the skin. She saw that his fingertips were too broad to fit in what was there, though that was no surprise to her.

Castle pulled off his glove and jammed it into his pocket before he stood close to Beckett, watching as the Manchesters put their fingers on the bruises as well. That began a long wait as they watched the guests and six employees trying to see if one of them was the killer. But when the last person came in he realized something and said, "Where is Leah Plumey?"

"She was right behind me," Rory said, as he had been the last one into the room.

"Did anyone see her?" Beckett asked as she and Castle were rushing out of the room, going through the people who had remained in the hall at the Kemp's direction. "Has anyone seen Leah Plumey?"

There was a sudden, loud scream from the bottom of the house and everyone started to turn to go there when Castle and Beckett yelled at them to stop so they could go ahead of them.

As soon as they were in the entry at the bottom of the staircase Castle grabbed his wife's hand and they took off for the dining room where another scream was coming from. He could hear a woman crying for help after that and he and Beckett went to the ballroom to find that Leah was there, fighting off a figure; covered from head to toe in black; who stopped at their footsteps before it flew through an open window out into the rain. "Go," he told his wife, letting go of her hand as he went to the woman on the floor.

Beckett, though she wasn't too far behind the figure, looked outside the window to find nothing there. She was going to go out the window herself when she heard the sound of the door to the backyard opening distantly and she went to the doorway saying, "Who's going?" stopped by the people crowded there peering inside before she got out of the way of John.

"Carter, Manchester and my husband," Barclay's wife told her.

At that Beckett then went to where Castle and Mudd were with Leah and she asked, "Is she okay?"

"Yes she managed to fight off her attacker," Mudd said, having to speak a little loudly over the sobs of the woman below them.

"Can we take her to her room?" Castle asked, looking over at the doorway where the other guests were holding back Rory.

"Please," the man begged the doctor.

Motioning to the man Mudd waited for Rory to reach them before he said, "She can walk but considering how she's crying it's best if you help her."

Castle and Beckett stood up as the man helped his wife stand and they watched as the Plumeys walked out of the room, following them after a last glance at the still covered body of Helena Greenglass.

"Alright honey," Rory was saying to his wife after he'd helped her lay down on their bed in their room. "Do you think you can talk to them?"

Her hands shaking as she brought up a tissue to her eyes Leah shook as she managed to control her sobs before she nodded once. "I… I was going upstairs when someone called to me," she said softly. "They were dressed as a… ninja."

"We only had one," Castle murmured to his wife. "And he was upstairs with us."

With an incline of her head to let him know she'd heard Beckett said to the woman, "What did they say to you?"

"That someone was in the ballroom and we had to go get them, it could be the killer," Leah replied. "So I went with him and as soon as I was near the window where he led me he tried to stab me with a knife."

"Thank god you were able to fight him off," Rory said, kissing his wife's hand lovingly.

"You know it was a man?" Beckett asked.

"His voice was deep and not like it was a woman trying to affect that kind of voice," Leah said.

"Do you remember the server at dinner with black hair, grey eyes?" Castle asked her then. "He wore a deep forest green costume."

"Yes but I don't know if that was him," Leah said a little doubtfully, looking towards the doorway.

"Sorry," John said as he was standing there. "I just wanted to make sure my guest is okay."

A little startled at the slightly aggressive tone in the owner's voice Castle looked at Beckett as he was watching the couple and then said, "Was this guy's voice disguised at all?"

"He was in a hurry," Leah replied. "I almost didn't understand him. I thought it was the… person who was dressed up as a ninja."

"That'll be Mr. McClellan," John replied. "I'll get him."

When his wife gave him a look Castle was quick to stand up and hurry to the man saying, "I'll come with you, better we distract him since he's going to wonder why we're bringing him up here."

"Okay, let's go," John said simply.

Beckett was a little confused at the abrupt turnaround from the man and she said to Leah as they began to wait, "Why didn't you tell anyone there was someone calling to you?"

"I tried to tell my husband but… he didn't hear me," Leah said, looking up at him.

"I… people were talking and I started to run ahead," Rory replied. "I'm so sorry, I thought you were fixing your costume and I heard we were trying to exonerate ourselves from the people on the stairs."

Outside by then Castle and John were with McClellan and they spoke to the man close enough to the door where they were sure Leah could hear him.

"What are you doing?" Beckett asked, coming out to them after a moment. "A woman is trying to rest after nearly being attacked. It's not the time to gawk Mr. Kemp, please."

"Sorry," the man said, leading McClellan who looked bewildered away and to the stairs.

"Do you think," Castle said as he followed Beckett back into the room; knowing from what she'd said that Plumey hadn't identified McClellan as her attacker. "We can have the men downstairs talk as they pass by here?"

"Wait it's not me right," Mudd said quickly. "Because I don't normally talk that fast," he continued, speaking so rapidly it was almost one word.

"No you're not the man," Leah said, shaking her head.

"We'll be back," Beckett said as she realized the doctor was giving them a way to try to ID the killer. "Please remain here."

"I'll go," Castle said as he watched Mudd leaving. "And get everyone up here okay?"

"Yeah," Beckett said with a nod, watching him go.

"So… what do we do now?" Rory asked. "Do we have to go back down?"

"It depends," Beckett said.

"It's not my husband," Leah said, clutching at his hand almost desperately.

"We know it's not," Beckett replied. "He was coming into the room while you were being attacked. Can you do something for me and hold up your hands?" She looked at the tips of the woman's forefinger and thumb and nodded said, "Mr. Whitson's body had marks on it, we've been checking on everyone."

"It's not me," Leah said.

"It's not," Beckett said easily. "You haven't noticed anything strange lately since you arrived here at the B&B?" she then said as she could hear voices outside the door.

"No; are they going to know they're trying to exonerate themselves again?" Leah asked, nodding to the doorway.

"They are," Beckett replied. "We can make up an excuse for one man but for more it makes it a little difficult."

"Okay," Leah replied before she looked to the first man being led to the door, which was Mr. Scarborough.

Castle went to stand with his wife again as they went through the men there at the home, each speaking as fast as they could at John's direction. When they had finished he closed the door after the owner and turned with Beckett to the couple at the bed.

"I'm sorry none of them were, I just… it was a strange moment and then the attack," Leah said, her chin wobbling slightly.

"I think it's also the fact your killer is unlikely here in the house at this moment," Castle said.

"So he's coming back to kill everyone," Rory said.

Sharing a look that allowed them to wordlessly communicate Beckett said as Castle went to the door, "We were about to tell you something when Whitson was… discovered. We should let you know about that now."

"He's targeting us," the couple said at the same time.

Beckett didn't respond to that, waiting until her husband had returned with the other couples, Simone and Greenglass. "We found a note," she said, deciding there was no real need to sugar coat or wait to explain. "When we went on a search of the grounds that there would be more… murders." She paused when they looked at each other and then her, stunned, and knowing they realized they were all the targets of the note said, "We're going to protect you and we'll keep you safe until the police arrive."

"And when is that going to be?" Mr. Pearson asked. "It's pouring like crazy out there again, how will they get here?"

"It'll take time," Castle said. "But they should arrive."

"In the mean time we'll be hunted like animals!" Mrs. Musgrave protested.

"Now that you know about the threat to you," Beckett said, looking at each and every one of them. "You'll remain in this house, guarded by us or the Fosters, Kemps or Reids."

"And you can trust them?" Mr. Musgrave said. "What about you? How the hell could we even trust…"

"I know you're all afraid right now," Beckett said. "And to be honest I am as well but the best course of action is to stay in this house and don't go off alone anywhere."

Castle wasn't surprised when Leah on the bed shifted uncomfortably as the other couples looked to her and he then said, "She didn't know."

"Neither did my husband," Simone said.

"We should have found that note sooner," Beckett said, looking to the woman.

"And Helena?" Greenglass asked.

"We don't know why this is happening," Beckett replied, unable to answer the man's question directly. "But we or the Shirley PD will figure it out."

"I hope so," Mrs. Scarborough said, holding her husband's hand tightly.

"None of you knew Lloyd?" Castle asked, to make sure. "About five ten, black hair, grey eyes?"

"Only from here tonight," Simone said.

When the others all nodded in agreement to that Beckett turned to her husband and said, "You can take the others downstairs and-"

"I'd like to stay with my husband," Simone suddenly said.

"Okay, get John to go with her," Beckett said, hearing a breath of relief from the woman. She turned to her and said, "I can understand your need to be close to him." Looking back at Castle she said, "Go ahead and get Dale to come up here to stay with the Plumeys… unless you'd like to head downstairs with the others?"

"We'll go down," Leah said, looking at her husband. "I'm okay."

"Then take them to the parlor, send John up and talk to Dale and David before I join you," Beckett said to Castle.

Nodding he took the others outside as his wife went with Simone down the hall a little further. After making sure the four couples and Greenglass were safely ensconced in the parlor again Castle sent John upstairs and then spoke with his friends hurriedly in the hall outside the room.

"You really think he's targeting these people?" Dale asked.

"We do," Beckett answered for her husband. "And it'll be best if you keep that quiet. For now what did the men find who went after the killer?" When the two went back to get the men that had tried to track down the figure she turned to Castle and leaned against him for a moment to rest as she knew it was going to be some time before they got any at all again.

"We'll find him love," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when Beckett gave him a look at that; knowing she didn't want reassurance; and he pressed a hurried kiss to the side of her head before their privacy was interrupted again.

"What can you tell us?" Beckett asked the four men that soon approached them with John, a little surprised to see Mr. Cohen coming as well.

"When we went out he was running to the front of the house," Barclay replied. "So we ran past the ballroom that way and to the front, getting to the road in the opposite direction from Shirley."

"And by the time you got there?" Beckett asked.

Shaking his head Manchester said, "He was already gone by then."

"At which point," Castle said, glancing briefly at his wife.

"When we made it around to the front of the house there was a van leaving," Carter said.

"Van?" Beckett said. She and her husband looked at one another before they ran; going to the front door to see that in fact the second catering van was gone. "Why…" she began before trailing off.

"I know," Castle agreed. "Unless he is finished," he said before they went back into the house. "We need the license plate number and a connection to the police, any police at this point."

"Are we finished?" Manchester asked, looking at the other three men when the couple had returned to them.

"How was the condition of the road?" Beckett asked.

"In the direction he went not bad but we couldn't see that far, who knows how it is further down where that other stream is?" Barclay replied. "So we can move around now right? Go up to our rooms?"

"No," Beckett said simply. "Head back to the parlor; we still need to wait for the police."

"Are you sure Kemp talked to them?" Manchester said. "What if he's in this up to his eyeballs?"

"Then he's insane," Castle said. "Because he asked us to look into this."

When the four men finally went back to the room Becket turned to her husband and said, "I'd thought of that."

"Oh of course, me too," Castle said in agreement. "There's just no real motive to these killings; except of course what I said before. That he's insane."

"I'm not," John said, coming up to them.

"We didn't think you were," Castle replied easily.

"We would have suspected you first off if we did," Beckett said. "We need to see the security footage you have again."

"Sure, follow me," John said, leading them to the kitchen.

"Wait," Beckett said, startled then when she saw something on the floor when the owner had turned on the light.

"A cape?" John said as he stepped back to let Castle and Beckett go inside the small room first. "I thought the man had been dressed as a ninja."

"He was," Beckett said.

"This was left before his attack on Mrs. Plumey," Castle added. He frowned and then said, "How?"

Since they'd taken care to keep the door in that room closed Beckett went over to it and shook her head, "He got in somewhere else, the ballroom obviously. You didn't have the windows in there locked did you?"

"There's never been a reason to make sure they've stayed locked," John said defensively. He was watching as Castle picked up the cape and saw the piece of paper flutter to the floor first.

"Beckett," Castle said. "I think he's getting bolder."

"So what does that mean?" John asked.

Turning to the owner at his somewhat panicked tone of voice Beckett was a little unsettled by the tone and then said, "You should start checking the other windows that are in the house."

"Yes of course," John said. "But the footage."

"We'll be okay on our own," Castle told him. He watched the man leaving and said, "We're sure about him."

"We are, I don't think this has happened before to him," Beckett pointed out as she opened the note. " _You're not going to find us_ ," she read. " _We can cover up and become whoever we want. We could be here now, watching you and waiting for the perfect moment_."

"Cute, how many horror movies do you think they've seen," Castle said to his wife.

"Who knows," Beckett said.

"You don't think there's more than one do you?" Castle then said.

"It's either that or they're referring to themselves in third person," Beckett replied. "Which means we do have an insane killer running around here."

"Or leaving on the highway," Castle said, reminding her that the killer had stolen the van.

"Or that; if he could reach it," Beckett said absently. She folded the paper and then sat down with her husband in front of the TV, getting the footage set up before there was a sudden cry of their names behind them.

"It's Mr. and Mrs. Purvis!" Beatrice said, running up to them. She then stopped, breathing a little hard, and said, "They're gone."

Beckett almost started to get up but something in her restrained her and she turned to the TV.

"Kate?" Castle asked, a little surprised at that.

"There's something wrong here," Beckett replied before she played the footage from around the time when the attack on Leah occurred.

"That's not the couple," Castle said, having realized what she was talking about and seeing on the screen that only a lone figure was getting into the van.

"Beatrice," John suddenly called from behind them. "We found the Purvises, they were outside."

"Doing what?" Beckett asked as she stood and went to the doorway between the kitchen and the dining room. When the owner blanched she said, "Kissing or more than that?"

"No just kissing," John said quickly. "We found them before it got to that."

"They were doing that on the patio," Castle stated. The owner nodded so he sighed and said, "Keep everyone in, the killer claims to still be here."

"Is that what the note said?" John asked.

Beckett walked over to the Kemps who were standing together and showed it to them. "We need to check on everyone again," she told them after she had handed the note to Castle so he could put it with the first one they'd gotten.

"We'll do that right now," Beatrice said.

"We will," Castle said as he and Beckett followed them. He showed her the list that he still had in his other pocket and then handed it to her. When they were in the parlor he watched her calling off everyone's name, not surprised when the Purvises promptly answered to their names, looking embarrassed. He looked at the Plumeys as his wife was nearing the end of the list, seeing they were speaking to one another rapidly.

"I'm going to suggest," Beckett said, folding the list and then giving it back to Castle. "That we remain together for safety's sake."

"That's great," a man said sarcastically towards the back of the room, near the open door to the library. "How do you suggest we sleep tonight? Camp out here on the floor?"

"We're waiting for the police," Castle said, looking at his wife.

"Who aren't here yet," the same man said before his wife was calming him down.

"I know that you're all impatient," Beckett said.

"We were looking forward to the party," another man said in a disgruntled tone of voice.

"We can't really help the fact that…" Castle started to say before trailing off.

"He's right and I think at this point you'd say everyone's wellbeing is a little bit more important than dancing," Beckett said.

"Or the scavenger hunt," John said under his breath.

At that Castle only spared him a brief glance before he told the others, "It's still early and the storm seems to be easing up now."

"I'll contact the police again," John said then, seeming to be spurred into action.

"Do you mind if we talk to you?" Rory said suddenly, coming over with his wife then.

"Not at all," Beckett said, leading the way out into the hall with Castle. "What's wrong, I noticed you both talking. Do you remember something?"

"No, I'm feeling a little… unsteady," Leah said. "Is it okay if we head upstairs?"

Beckett wanted to say no but she saw that the woman did look a little shaky so she instead said, "Why don't you go to the family room? We'll have Dale and Rowena join you, for protection's sake."

"Thank you," Leah said, looking up at her husband.

"Yeah, thanks," Rory said.

After calling to the Reids, Castle and Beckett spoke with them for a moment before they led the other two couples to the room. They were a little uncertain doing that, expecting some kind of protest from the other guests against the two leaving the room while they couldn't. But they had all seemed to calm down and were having drinks that the catering employees were serving with Beatrice's help.

"You think it's a good idea for there to be liquor in there?" Dale asked Castle.

"It'd probably be a horrible idea to stop them," Beckett answered for him. "Considering how they're reacting right now to us trying to protect them. So just stay with them, you don't both need to be here but at least one of you."

"Which will be him," Rowena said.

"Thank you," Leah called out, lying on the couch.

Castle followed his wife after she had nodded to the Plumeys and went with her back to the parlor where John was waiting in the doorway. "Is something wrong?" he asked as the man looked a little uneasy.

"They… asked me to ask you to join the Plumeys," John said, not looking them in the eye.

"They said that," Beckett said, sounding angry then as she looked past them.

"We just want to not have to worry," a voice called from the back.

"Fine but we'll be here in the dining room not the family room should anyone need us," Beckett told the owner shortly. She turned around and nearly strode into the room saying to her husband, "Why?"

"I don't know maybe we're like a visage of the killer, with us there they won't be able to ignore the situation," Castle said. When his wife rolled her eyes he told her, "I'm not agreeing with them; it makes no sense to be honest. But hopefully once the police get here they'll take care of everything. Would you like some coffee?"

"Yeah, we never had any earlier," Beckett said, nodding her head. "I'll be right back; I have to ask John something." When her husband nodded before disappearing into the kitchen she headed out, intending to go to the hall. But before she could reach it there was a noise from upstairs and she glanced upward, seeing a figure there. She saw white instead of black and wondered if it might be Simone as the woman was wearing a white dress. She went over to the staircase and headed up calling, "Simone? You need to be downstairs…" She paused at the top and looked around, seeing all the doors closed and no one there.

At that moment Beckett began to try the handles on the doors she passed as she made her way to the other end. But all of them were still locked and at the very end of the hall she held herself still, listening for anything that might let her know where the woman had gone as she knew the attic was unreachable. There was nothing but silence and she sighed before she started to walk back to the stairs. Before she could get too far away from the window at the end of the hall though she felt herself being suddenly grabbed, pulled back into a room before everything suddenly went dark.


	8. Of What You Can't See

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Dead Man's Party by the band Oingo Boingo, from their album of the same name.

Walking into the doorway of the parlor Castle saw that John Kemp was speaking with his wife and another guest. As soon as he spotted them he felt a sense of unease that he'd been trying to push back when he had left the kitchen with his and Beckett's coffee to discover that she hadn't returned yet.

"Rick?" David asked, walking over when he'd noticed the man standing there. "You alright?"

"Yeah I'm fine," Castle said quickly, not wanting to show his concern yet. "Did you see where Kate went after she talked to John?"

"When?" the man asked in a little confusion.

"Just now," Castle said, realizing that he needed to be worried with that response. "We were in the dining room and I went to make some coffee while she talked with him."

"She was never here," David said, looking at Rebecca who was walking up to them. "You didn't see her did you Becca?"

"Not since she said you two would be in the dining room," Rebecca replied. "I'm sure she just went up to your room for something."

"You should check," David said as an incredulous look appeared on their friend's face. "She'll be up there."

"Go," Rebecca said gently but a little firmly. "You'll probably meet her on the way down."

"Probably," Castle said, though he wasn't really all that convinced. He turned and then headed to the entry to start going up, calling, "Kate are you there?" He stopped at the landing saying, "I don't really want to keep going so let me know now." He waited for a while to make absolutely sure before he ran up the rest of the way.

"Kate?" Castle said as he then began to rush down to the other end of the hall. He tried the doors as he went, unknowingly mimicking what his wife had done earlier. He paused at their room thinking she might at least be there. But after pounding on the door he had no response and he grit his teeth together before he was hurrying down past the rest of the rooms.

"Damn it," he swore bitterly as he came to the window at the other end and had nothing to show for his search except the fact he was out of breath. He ran back and down the stairs, calling for John until the man met him out in the hall.

"What's wrong?" the owner asked, a little startled seeing him.

"Have you seen my wife?" Castle asked. "Since after we left for the dining room?"

"No, why?" John asked.

"Did someone kill her?" a woman said in a slightly panicked tone of voice. "The detective?"

"Then she's missing," Castle said. He didn't wait for a response from anyone and ran back to the living room where at the doorway to the family room where the Reids and Plumeys were and asked them, "Have you heard anything at all from upstairs?"

"There was a knocking sound but we just thought it was Kate walking around up there," Rowena said, sharing a look with her husband.

"You never heard her coming back downstairs?" Castle asked. When the two shook their heads he looked back at the Plumeys and when they shook their heads as well, ran back to the parlor again. "Kemp," he said, his concern making his voice sharper than he meant it to be.

"You didn't find her?" John asked, sounding anxious himself when he could tell from the man's face the answer to his question.

"She had the skeleton key to the rooms," Castle said. "Tell me you have another one."

"We do," John said, nodding. He turned to his wife who was behind him and took the key that she held out to him.

Not bothering to ask anyone to help him Castle went back to the staircase before he heard someone behind him. "David-" he started to say.

"I'm going with you," the man replied firmly. "You need some help… in case."

Trying not to react to that Castle curtly nodded to him before they started up the stairs with him in the lead. At that point he opened the first door flinging it open and letting David run inside before he went down to the next one and went through himself. He and his friend went down the hall and past their own rooms before they were almost at the end of the hall. He became a little alarmed when they were nearing the last three of the rooms and he opened the two before the last and he reached the very last one first, letting David look through the others.

Castle rushed into the room, pausing to turn on the lights, and then stopped when he saw the bed. His wife was lying there, almost looking like she was asleep though the shoe on her right foot was only hanging on it by the strap. "Kate!" he said in relief, almost running to her as he was able to discern from what he could see of her that she looked to be okay.

"Is she alright?" David asked, coming inside behind him. He was startled when he heard someone behind himself and turned to step out into the hall ready to hold them back in case it was the killer, when he saw that it was in fact his wife. "What is it?" he asked as she neared.

"I got this from Mrs. Kemp, just in case," Rebecca said as she held a first aid kit. "Is she okay?"

"Rick?" Beckett asked, her voice sounding confused as at that moment she opened her eyes to find her husband in front of her, the backs of his fingers caressing her cheek. "What happened?" she said as she sat up though he tried to stop her.

"You don't remember?" Castle asked, watching her closely to make sure that she was okay. "You said you were going to speak with John and then come back to the dining room with me to have some coffee but you never did."

"No I didn't even talk with John either," Beckett murmured, looking at the Fosters who were watching them.

"Will you be okay on your own?" David asked, feeling as if he and Rebecca were intruding.

"Yeah go ahead and tell John I found her and check to make sure that everyone is where they're supposed to be right now," Castle replied. "And she's fine. We'll be down… maybe." When they were alone he turned to her and said, "What happened my love?"

"I heard something upstairs, which I shouldn't have since we cleared the second floor," Beckett began, recalling then. "And then I went to the bottom of the staircase and saw a figure there."

"In black," Castle said.

"No," Beckett replied as she shook her head no. "In white, I thought it was Simone going up to see her husband again."

Since she was looking at him questioningly Castle knew what she wasn't saying and told her, "When I went to the parlor for looking for you I saw her there, a little on her own to the side of the room."

"Of course," Beckett sighed. "I went up to the… up here," she corrected herself. "And I tried all the doors but none of them were open so I went all the way to the end of the hall until I started to turn to go back. But as soon as I did I was grabbed from behind and I tried to fight against them… whoever they were though there wasn't much time for it. Obviously, judging by the look on your face, I didn't succeed."

"No but at least you weren't hurt… right?" Castle said as he took her hand then, holding it tightly before he ran his thumb over the back of it.

"No I think they used chloroform," Beckett said. "How long have I been gone?"

"Not long. Fifteen, twenty minutes at the most," Castle replied, making a stab at the time as he really couldn't remember.

"Okay, then they…" Beckett started to say before she trailed off.

"They thought you were Leah." "They thought I was Leah," Castle and then Beckett said.

"But… they have to know our costumes were different," Beckett protested though it made sense.

"The lights were off when I came into this room," Castle said. "So if they grabbed you from behind then they didn't realize they had the wrong person until they had you in here."

"Or when I spoke," Beckett told him. "I began to try and tell him to let me go before I got knocked out. I didn't say it fully but they must have realized then who I was."

Castle nodded and then stood up as she started to move and helped her get off the bed before he pulled her into his arms.

"You were that worried?" Beckett asked, though she could feel the answer to that in the way he held her against him.

"It wasn't that long but there's a killer love," Castle told her.

"We need to go down," Beckett replied though she didn't mind the pause at that moment.

"David will check on everyone now," Castle reminded her. He pulled away from her slightly and then leaned down, kissing her gently on the lips before she was responding. He didn't let that last for too long before they were parting, pressing his forehead against hers. "I have to ask; I'm just making sure; do-" he began.

"I'm okay we should head downstairs," Beckett told him firmly. She let him lean down then so he would be able to take off her shoe. She slipped her foot back into it, smiling for a moment when he gripped it for a second and then hurriedly buckled it. "Did anything happen when you started looking for me?" she asked him as they headed out of the room.

Closing the lights and then the door which he then locked Castle was about to answer her when he realized something. "Do you have the keys?"

"Yes," Beckett said, taking out the ring that was in her pocket.

Seeing the questioning look on his wife's face Castle told her, "I have a key that John gave me, Beatrice had it."

"We need to ask if there are more than just the two keys," Beckett said with a slight frown. She told her husband, "There's the problem of how Lloyd would have been able to get a hold of a key if there are just two."

"If it's him," Castle said.

"I know," Beckett said, as she aware of what he was thinking.

"Kate, you're alright," Beatrice said at the bottom of the stairs as the two descended. "Are you?"

"I'm fine; the killer thought I was…" Beckett began before trailing off and looking over to her left to the Plumeys who were in the doorway.

"Me?" Leah asked before she looked at her dress and then Beckett's which were slightly similar in color. "Oh god, I'm so sorry."

Wondering why the woman was looking at the owners before at his wife Castle said, "It's not your fault. Dale, Rowena, they were-"

"They were here the entire time," the latter said with a slight nod.

"Everyone was here," John said as the two then turned to him. "No one had left around the time you were supposed to have come to speak to me."

"How many keys do you have?" Beckett then asked. "To get into the rooms."

"Just the two," John replied.

Castle and Beckett weren't very surprised at the sound of that and they looked at the people that were behind the owners before he spoke.

"You took another roll call?" he said.

"We did," Beatrice replied. "We're all here."

"Then we should just go back to what we were doing before," Beckett said.

After the entry and hall had emptied and they were nearly alone again Castle said to the Fosters, "Care to join us?"

"You don't want us to keep watch with the Kemps on everyone?" Rebecca asked in surprise.

"They've got things handled, since everyone's still here," Castle said.

"We'll let you have your coffee alone," David said. "And we'll help out the Kemps."

Once they were completely alone Castle asked his wife, "You still want coffee?"

"I do, or tea, either way," Beckett said as he led her to the dining room. She watched as he picked up the two mugs on the end of the kitchen table and she sat saying, "This storm is not helping us."

"I know," Castle replied, dumping the lukewarm coffees in the sink. "I wonder if the police are trying to get out here still because obviously both ways to this place are blocked in some way."

"They'll try, especially since John told them that there have been two murders," Beckett replied. She looked at the clock on the wall near the door and said, "But they might have given up."

Castle knew that there wasn't much he could say to that so he focused on making the coffee before he went to the table, giving her her mug before he pulled a chair directly next to hers before he sat; taking her free hand in his own.

Smiling briefly at him Beckett said, "I hope they're asleep right now."

"They are," Castle said, glancing at the clock himself as he couldn't look at his watch. "My mother is likely watching TV or on the phone," he said.

"Should we tell them what happened?" Becket asked, referring to their parents.

"They're going to ask how our time here was," Castle replied. "We need to tell them something. And there's a part of me that thinks they won't be all that surprised to hear about this."

"Probably not," Beckett said in response with a slight sigh. She took a few more sips of her drink before she started to open her mouth to speak, to ask if he wanted to go over everything they had so far.

Before she could speak and while there was a lull elsewhere in the house there was a loud crash that brought everyone out to the entry.

"What was that?" John asked Castle and Beckett, seeing they were looking upstairs.

"I think that was in one of the bedrooms," Beckett said.

At that moment Castle was looking over at the living room and when he saw that there was only Rory there with the Reids he said, "Where is she?"

"She was running upstairs, we watched her," Rory said.

"We tried to stop her but she said we'd see her since their room is right there," Dale said, looking hesitant.

"The door is closed," Beckett said.

"I know where that crash was," Castle said, going up with her. "Keep everyone back," he instructed the Fosters and Reids.

Trying the doorknob Beckett had to get the key from her pocket to open it, a sinking feeling going through her as she then opened the door.

"Damn it," Castle swore when he saw Leah on the floor, a huge, ornate candlestick that had been in the dining room next to her and blood covering the back of the woman's head.

"Is she," Rory said, coming up to the doorway then. "Leah!" he yelled when he saw his wife, racing over to her.

Castle was about to grab the man to stop him but he felt Beckett holding him back and he turned away as she did to give him a moment of privacy.

"Why, why…" Rory was saying, obviously crying.

"Rory," Beckett said, going over to him then.

"This is your fault," the man exploded with when she touched him on the shoulder. He jumped up and he started to lean into her before Castle was blocking her from him. "He thought she was you and when he discovered it was you he had to finish the job. If he'd just killed you she wouldn't be dead!"

"Rick don't," Beckett said, having to grab at him to stop her husband from punching the man in the face.

"Here," John said, coming inside then with his wife and Mudd. "We'll take care of everything."

"We'll be outside," Beckett told them. When the owner nodded she went with her husband to the hall and said, "How did he get in?"

"I think at this point he's waiting for us to not be in a certain area," Castle said.

Nodding at that since the first murder had occurred when they were in the parlor, the second while they'd been in the parlor as well but occupied and the third when they'd been in the kitchen Beckett said, "I think we need to take shifts walking around the house."

Though he wanted to tell her that it was a little crazy to do that Castle knew she was right so he nodded in agreement before he looked up as Mudd and the Kemps walked out. "You're leaving him in there?" he said in surprise.

"He became a little… belligerent when we tried to move him," John said. "It's best he stays, we'll get someone to keep watch over him."

"What happened," Beckett asked the doctor.

"Blunt force trauma with that candelabra," Mudd said quickly. "It's likely the killer was waiting to come up behind her and struck her. She was killed instantly, judging by the wound."

Beckett watched the man go past them then and she turned to the owners saying, "Someone needs to go to the city."

"I'll go," a voice said from behind them.

"You-" John said in surprise as he looked at Rory.

"I need to get the police here, get them to find out who the hell did this," the man replied simply.

Castle grabbed his wife's hand at the jab but wasn't surprised when she didn't say anything as they waited to see what the owner would tell them.

"I can't let you go alone," John said, himself looking to Beckett.

"I'll go with him," Greenglass said, suddenly appearing at the top of the stairs. "He's right, we need to find the killer and we need the police here before all twelve of us are dead."

"If the road is blocked," Beatrice said, looking at Beckett momentarily. "Then come back."

"We will," Rory said, looking to Greenglass.

"I'll join them, just in case," another man named Fischer said, stepping forward before anyone could say anything.

"I'll take them out to the cars," John then said.

"We'll take over keeping an eye on everyone," Castle told them. He and his wife followed the group downstairs, watching them go over to the entry. As the men were all getting on coats he let Beckett take him back to the parlor, a little surprised to see her slightly hesitating for a moment. "What is it?" he asked.

"No just wondering how they'll take us coming in," Beckett said.

Castle wondered why that thought hadn't occurred to him but he wasn't as unsure as his wife that they would protest them being there. And as they stepped into the doorway he saw that a few people were looking at them, what seemed to be guiltily. "Is everyone okay?" he asked.

Beckett squeezed his hand tightly at that and when she saw some of their fellow guests were nodding or vocalizing they were she went with him over to David and Rebecca. "Everyone's here?" she asked, looking for the Musgraves, Scarboroughs, Pearsons and Simone and easily spotting them alone in the library.

"They're okay in there right?" David said, following her gaze.

"Yeah no windows, no points of entry other than the door," Castle said.

"Then everyone is here," David replied. "And we're okay. You Kate?"

"I'm fine," Beckett said, nodding her head. "Tired."

"Me too," Rebecca said with a sigh. "We might not be able to sleep for a while."

"We'll have to see how things go," Beckett said before she looked out the windows again. Seeing the rain she hoped that the men who were heading into the city were able to make it through the storm to take the weight of investigating the murders off of hers and Castle's hands.

For a while the room was literally quiet as the guests were trying not to look at Castle and Beckett, the sound of the storm drowning out the silence.

"Should we play some music again?" Rebecca suddenly said. "You know, to drown out the silence right now?"

"I don't think people will want to dance," David told his wife.

"They could relax a little," Castle said, under his breath though as he looked around at everyone.

"Maybe," Beckett said, holding his hand tightly and gently squeezing it.

"Or not," Castle said. He looked around and said, "There's no way to play anything."

"Then it's not needed," David said. "So we have everything set with the party."

Not minding the fact that he was so obviously changing the subject Beckett said, "I think we have everything."

"How many times have we asked you that?" Rebecca said with a slight smile.

"A number of times," Castle said. "But I get the feeling that's you two feeling guilty a bit for us holding the party at our house."

"You have a baby girl," Beckett said. "And for the very last time, it wasn't as hard as you think it was for us to get everything ready."

"Okay but next party we'll take over," David said. He then glanced around the room again before he said, "You're missing them too?"

"Our girls?" Castle said. When the two nodded he said, "Hard not to, especially now."

Beckett looked around with him then and squeezed his hand firmly once more before saying, "I feel like we've given up."

"No you need to rest you've nearly been… you were attacked," Rebecca said, having to correct herself midway through.

"You mean nearly killed of course," Beckett replied.

"Why don't we help you a little?" David said. When his wife nudged him in the side he said, "Obviously she doesn't want to stop investigating."

"I don't," Beckett said, unable to help smiling briefly at her friend as she looked to her, a little embarrassed.

"That might help," Castle said, looking at his wife.

"It could," Beckett replied. "Also it would help if we had a murder board."

"I have my tablet," Castle told her.

"I'll go with him," David said when all of a sudden her husband jumped up and left.

"Thank you," Beckett called, watching them go.

"Okay, so… should we do this here?" Rebecca asked.

"No," Beckett said with a hint of a smile. "Come on, we'll go into the dining room." She led the way over there before she and Rebecca stood at one of the windows to wait for their husbands to join them.

"You think the two guys are going to make it back?" Rebecca asked her friend.

"I have no idea," Beckett said.

At that same moment the front door swung open eliciting some cries from the parlor as Beckett and Rebecca went to the entry and Castle and David rushed down from the stairs.

"We couldn't make it," Rory said, looking grim. "There was a huge tree branch in both directions blocking the roads."

"They weren't placed there were they?" Castle asked as he went over to his wife and handed her his tablet.

"I don't know, it's impossible to tell," Rory replied.

"I don't think so," the man who'd gone with the two; Fischer; said. "Because there were trees with cracked off branches on the sides that we could see when we looked, recently cracked off and too thick to be pulled off."

"So we're stuck here with a killer?" a voice from the group behind the Kemps said.

"No, look, the rain has stopped," Castle said, looking past the three to the front. "We can get the branches out of the way and call for the police again."

A streak of lightning in the sky, close to the front of the B&B, suddenly shot down and the rain abruptly began to pour.

"What the hell," Castle said, looking at his wife.

"I don't know," Beckett said, shaking her head. "It must be a huge storm though. I don't think I'd recommend you going, at least not until the lightning stops."

"I'd have to agree," John said. He looked behind him at the men in the group and seeing that none of them were ready to protest that he said, "I guess we just go back to waiting now, why don't we go to the family room, we have a TV there."

"Do you still want to work…" Castle started to say before he trailed off when Greenglass and Rory walked up to them.

"We'd like to go to our wives," Rory said, looking tired. "Or is that not allowed?"

"You can go," Beckett said, nodding to Castle.

"We'll stay here while you let him in," he said to David as he handed him the other skeleton key.

When the two men were going upstairs Greenglass turned to Castle and Beckett and said, "I'm begging you, let me see her."

"Alright," Beckett said, though she wasn't sure about doing that. Before she left with him she said to her husband, "Make sure David leaves the door open."

"Thank you… I can't stay with her can I?" Greenglass asked as he, Beckett and Rebecca trailing after them went into the dining room.

"I'm afraid not," Beckett replied. "The window is still open and the killer could get in."

"Of course but… why don't you close it?" Greenglass asked.

"Fingerprints?" Rebecca suggested as Beckett was opening the door to the ballroom.

"And also any kind of other evidence," she said with a slight nod. She opened the door and then froze, seeing that the room was not as they'd left it. She swore and after telling Rebecca to take Greenglass back to the parlor, turned around to go to the entry where Castle was still waiting for David though he was descending at that moment.

"What happened?" he asked, nearly at the same time as his friend.

"Helena's body is gone," Beckett told him.

"What?" Castle said, following her to the dining room where Rebecca was trying to pull Greenglass away. "Maury," he said firmly and loudly as the man was yelling at the woman. "Go we'll figure this out."

"Yeah since you're doing such a bang up job right now," Greenglass yelled to them as David was able to pull him away at that point.

"This is… not good," Castle said unnecessarily as he looked at the floor where the body had been from the window that had been closed.

"Her room," Castle and Beckett suddenly said together at the same time. They turned and ran out before he was locking the door, having to push past everyone gathered at the entrance to the dining room. Racing up the stairs Castle was the first to reach the room where the Greenglasses had been placed and he opened the door first with his skeleton key.

"Why," Beckett said, seeing the body of the woman on the bed inside the Greenglass' room. "Why would he come back and how did he get her up here?"

"We need the security-" Castle started to say before he was interrupted by the sound of footsteps down the hall. "Maury, wait," he said to Greenglass who had entered.

"Helena," the man breathed out, seeing his wife. "Get out," he said to Beckett who was closer to the bed. "Get out of here now!"

Going back to Castle as she knew the man had reached his breaking point Beckett let him lead her out and she watched him pause in the doorway, looking back in. "The window," she said.

"Yeah I didn't do that," Castle replied. "So of course Lloyd. But I have a theory love; you're probably not going to like it."

"What he teleported her body up there?" Beckett asked.

"We've been around each other a long time," Castle said briefly. "No, he took the body and stored it up in another room closer to the stairs."

"I had that same idea," Beckett replied. "But there's the fact that we all would have heard him; or someone could have."

"Then there's a separate way in and out," Castle said thoughtfully.

"No not a dumbwaiter, they built the house," Beckett reminded him, knowing what he was thinking.

"Then a passage," Castle replied, taking her hand so they could walk over to the stairs. He paused and then said, "I'm thinking of asking Dale to step in there."

"I can," the man himself said, watching as Castle and Beckett turned to him. "I'll talk to him… see what I can do to calm him down and also watch out for him. But is her body really there?"

"It is," Beckett said, seeing the guests gathered at the living room, looking at them almost angrily. "I think we're about to get fired," she said to her husband.

"It's up to Mr. Kemp," Dale said. "I asked Rowena to stick with the Fosters," he then said.

"Good luck," Castle told the man, handing him the skeleton key. "Keep that on you… wherever you can hide it."

" _I don't like this_ Rick," Beckett said then as they went down the stairs.

" _Neither do I but_ -" Castle began to say.

"We want them to stop Mr. Kemp," Carter said suddenly as the two got to the end of the stairs and looked to the living room.

"They're getting people killed," Barclay said.

"We're not doing anything," Castle said.

"Exactly," another man, one from the catering company, said in a withering sneer.

"We can only investigate so much," Beckett said, trying not to sound too angry though she was having a hard time controlling herself.

"Then maybe you should stop and let the police do that," a woman snapped.

"Enough," John said, looking at the guests. "They're doing the best they can in the situation. What we need to do right now is stay together as Ms. Beckett suggested and not move an inch without anyone knowing."

"And what about Mr. Greenglass?" someone asked.

"My husband is with him and his wife," Rowena spoke up saying. "They'll be alright."

"Let me get the movie started again," John suggested as he and his wife started to usher the others to the family room.

"Are you thinking the same as me love?" Castle asked, hearing Beatrice talking about another roll call.

"We need to check on the bodies? I think so," Beckett said before she let Castle take her hand and lead her upstairs. They went first to the Plumeys room and there on the bed still was Leah. When they went to the Whitson's room she went inside first after opening the door and she went straight to the bed, stopping in her tracks as she approached the empty bed.

"Where-" Castle started to say.

"Virginia!" a voice yelled at the same time downstairs.

When Castle and Beckett had made it to the top of the stairs they saw that Lewis Scarborough was nearly to them and they almost fell as they got out of the way of the man's right hook to Castle.

Holding the man against the wall after he'd straightened up Castle said, "Where's your wife?"

"She's gone, I just did a roll call-" Beatrice said frantically from the entry where the guests were looking up at the second floor.

"You killed her, where is she?" Scarborough growled to the two. "Where is my wife?" he bellowed just before the lights flickered and then went out completely, plunging the abode once again into darkness.


	9. Fighting For Your Life

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Thriller written by Rod Temperton and sung by Michael Jackson, from his album of the same name.

Once the lights had soon after come back on Castle was running with Beckett down the hall to the parlor where they had heard a shot. When they'd entered the room they looked to the library since the parlor was empty. He wanted to close and lock the door as Scarborough was coming behind them but he couldn't reach it in time.

"Oh god, Virginia!" Scarborough yelled as he saw her on the floor, not moving. "You son of a-" he started to say, grabbing for Castle.

"Mr. Scarborough!" Beckett said in a yell to get him to stop. "Let go of my husband. He didn't do anything to your wife."

Letting go of Castle, almost throwing him aside, Scarborough ran into the library and took his wife's hand, moaning her name once more.

Mudd entered the room and paused when he saw where the blood was staining chest above the neckline of her white peasant blouse. "I'm sorry," he said as he felt for her pulse, shaking his head.

"We can't leave her here, not like… Greenglass' wife, look what happened to her," Scarborough said. He started picking up his wife and when the doctor tried to stop him he pushed him away and carried the body out of the room.

"There's something else too," Castle said to the Kemps as they remained in the room while David had nodded to him and Beckett and followed the man. "Whitson's body is gone."

"Gone?" Mudd asked in consternation.

"Not on his bed," Beckett replied. "So either the killer took him-"

"Or Whitson was not dead," Castle said, glancing at the doctor.

"I took his pulse-" Mudd started to say.

"We know, is it possible he could have taken a drug for that?" Beckett said.

"There is a toxin from puffer fish I'm aware of that can bring the pulse down to such a level," Mudd said, sounding a little unsure as he looked around the room and then down at the blood on the floor. "But to recover so quickly from it…"

"It was either that or something else," John said, looking at Castle and Beckett. "He was the only man murdered."

"We thought of that ourselves," Castle said. "But what these women have in common…"

"We need to talk to their husbands," Beckett said. "But they might not want to speak with us."

"And Simone?" Castle said to her.

Pressing her lips together tightly for a moment Beckett shook her head and said, "We have to try. For now we need to go up to Scarborough, talk with him first."

"Someone needs to be there for you two," Beatrice said as they left, her husband closing the door and locking it with Castle's help.

"Does everyone still have their room keys?" Beckett asked the man then.

"No, I convinced them it would be best if we kept them in the family room in a safe I have there," John replied, leading them back to the entry.

Following the man back to the room Castle looked on with Beckett as the owner opened the safe and pulled out all the keys that were inside.

After they'd counted out the exact number; except for the keys to hers and Castle's room; Beckett said, "Do you have a hidden passage to the second floor?"

"We do," Beatrice said before her husband could answer that.

"It's just a spiral staircase up to that linen closet at the end of the hall," John replied uneasily. "But it's locked."

"Are you sure? Because that room off the kitchen was supposed to be too," Castle commented.

Staring at them John turned around and went over to a door that was in the wall next to the stairs. He tried the knob that was there and pulled open what as a room that had a spiral staircase leading up to the second floor. "My son said it would be a room for storage, like the linen closet is," he said dully. "It's supposed to be locked."

"Who knows about this room?" Beckett then asked.

"Only me, Beatrice and my son and daughter in law," John said.

"We've never really had the doors open," Beatrice said. "So I don't know who could have known about this."

"You've never had Lloyd here before," Castle stated. When the couple shook their heads he turned to his wife and said, " _Then I think we need to face facts, there are two killers. And one of them is someone here in the house with us_."

" _I thought the same_ ," Beckett said, knowing that that was the final evidence they needed to give more credence to that idea. " _But how can we prove that_?"

Castle was a little unsure and he started to open his mouth to speak when they heard footsteps behind them, seeing the remaining people threatened in the note were walking up to them.

"We want you to protect us," Musgrave said before the others could say a word. "We're not safe when you try to investigate because every time you do…"

Beckett wasn't surprised when Castle looked to her and she didn't take long to speak telling them, "We can do that but-"

"We can all stay in our room," Musgrave said, his arm firmly around his wife, almost as if he was holding her protectively.

"Are you sure," Castle said, wanting them to realize they were asking them to take responsibility for them.

"Yes," the men said.

"Then someone needs to get Scarborough," Castle said as he and Beckett shared a brief stare and seemed to decide in that before they turned to the group around them.

"Before you go," Beckett said to the owner. "Do you have any weapons I can have?"

"Yeah, a revolver," John said simply, leaving them.

Castle looked out of the corner of his eye at his wife, since they'd seen that revolver when they had gone to see the keys with the Kemps. But he remained quiet, knowing she was trying to keep the people surrounding them from being aware they knew about the weapon already. He wasn't sure why that would infuriate them but with the way everyone was to them so far he wouldn't put it past them.

"It's fairly simple," John said, coming back to them. "You have to have had some experience in these."

"I do," Beckett said, pushing out the chamber and seeing it was fully loaded, confirming it wasn't the murder weapon. It wasn't exactly what she was comfortable with but knew in the situation it would have to do. She was a little surprised when the owner handed her a box of bullets and she hesitated for a moment.

"What, you don't need more than six?" Simone asked, slightly tauntingly.

"She wouldn't," Castle said a little angrily. He calmed down when Beckett put her hand on his arm and said, "We should go."

Heading upstairs behind the two couples, Plumey, Greenglass and Simone, Beckett murmured to her husband, " _We can talk to them there_."

" _That's what I was planning on, at the very least we need to get a connection between them and whoever the other guest is_ ," Castle said with a quick nod as they went to the doorway of the Scarboroughs' room.

After some coaxing the man followed the others to the room, not looking at Castle and Beckett. "How do we know either of them is going to bother helping us," Scarborough said as Castle; the last in the room; locked the door behind them.

"You'll have to trust us," Beckett said.

"So you were really a cop?" Marshall Pearson asked her after they had situated themselves in the room.

"I was a detective, yes," Beckett replied.

"For the NYPD," Pearson's wife, Caroline said. At her nod she said, "This isn't exactly how you investigate is it?"

Relieved to not hear any kind of hostility in her tone Beckett said, "Mind if I sit?"

"No, go ahead," Caroline replied, nodding next to her on the bed where she was sitting with Janice Musgrave.

"We're used to being able to leave a building if we need to," Castle commented as he went to stand next to his wife, watching Greenglass, Plumey and Scarborough looking out the windows. He glanced to Simone and became a little concerned, remembering it was her husband that was supposed to be in their bed.

The woman looked up at him and then said, "Is it true what I was hearing? My husband's missing." When she glanced around the room she could see everyone's surprised expressions; except for Castle and Beckett; and she snapped, "I can hear. He's gone."

"He is," Beckett answered, doing so when her husband looked at her.

"So he's alive," Simone said.

Though she didn't want to kill the hope in the woman's voice Beckett knew she couldn't hide it from her and said, "His body could have been stolen," hoping her tone was as gentle as possible.

"To perhaps frame him," Castle told her.

"Why him?" Simone asked.

"Would you mind if we asked you some questions?" Castle said once his and his wife's eyes met and they seemed to agree on the same thing.

"You mean interrogate us?" Pearson asked in slight annoyance.

"No, question," Beckett hurried to correct him. "We don't think any of you are involved."

"Then how do you know we're being targeted?" Greenglass said, suddenly turning from the window.

"There was a note," Beckett said, reaching into her pocket; the one not holding the revolver. "It names you all."

"So… why?" Plumey asked.

"We have no idea," Castle replied. "That's why questioning you might help us out a little."

"Ask away," Scarborough said, though he didn't look very pleased saying that.

"First, do you all know each other?" Beckett asked.

"We already answered this," Simone said. "When you were asking about Helena," she said, murmuring an apology after to the woman's husband.

"So is this B&B the only connection you have?" Castle asked.

"It probably is," Musgrave said.

"Where do you all live?" Beckett asked.

"Around the island I think," Caroline said. When the others all nodded she said, "Honestly, it's the B&B you should look at."

"Yeah and that means the Kemps," Plumey said.

"Should look at John first off," Scarborough added.

"Let's set that aside for the moment," Beckett said. "How many times have you all been here?" When the couples answered with numbers that were less than four she said, "Never at the same time?"

"Once," Pearson and Scarborough said.

Nodding to that Beckett then asked, "Has anyone else been here for the Halloween party in the past."

When everyone raised their hands Castle said, "At least one of those visits was for Halloween." After he got eight nods he looked at his wife and said, "I think we have a connection."

"Were you here for the party at the same time?" Beckett asked the Pearsons and Scarborough.

"We were," the three said together.

"When was that?" Castle asked.

"Last year," Pearson replied.

"Did anything strange happen during it?" Beckett inquired.

"There was that murder mystery game," Pearson said, looking to his wife.

"Yeah," Caroline said. "Mr. Kemp kept repeating it was their first time and he wasn't sure how it was going to turn out. It was actually easy; everyone knew the killer was someone from the catering company. I think he was a little disappointed."

"A little?" Scarborough said slightly derisively. "I think he was crushed. Maybe now you want to look at him?"

"We're at an impasse, there's not all that much we can do to investigate him," Castle said.

When everyone else started to talk at once Beckett held up her hand and said, "Unless we went down to his office and tried to find out the state of his finances or health. But I don't think we could."

"Why not, we can easily provide a diversion if you need it," Plumey said.

"It wouldn't be much of a diversion," Castle said.

"Why not?" the man asked.

"He would see through it," Beckett said simply. "You all of a sudden appearing downstairs when you demanded we protect you. He'd guess something was wrong and you would have to forcibly restrain him to keep him from finding us." She wasn't surprised when some of the men grumbled slightly and she said, "Unless we asked David…"

There was a knock at the door and Castle went over to it, letting in the man asking, "Did you see anything?"

"Bad news," David replied, glancing at the others as Beckett walked over to them. "Someone got into the room, messed up the recording on his TV; the security footage only goes as far back as to when you last looked at it."

"We need you to do us a huge favor," Beckett said, not surprised to hear the people behind them shifting slightly. "Is there a way for you to search John's finances and anything referencing his health?"

"You mean… go down to the office and break into his stuff?" David asked.

"If you can do so without being discovered," Castle said. "You can," he added. "Tell Rebecca to help and the Reids."

"I can try of course but whether or not I can in fact…" David said with a slightly grim look on his face.

"Just tell Rebecca," Beckett assured him. "I know she'll help you."

"Okay… right…" David said, turning to leave then.

After he had locked the door behind their friend, Castle said to his wife, " _He might not be able to_."

"Rebecca _will help him_ ," Beckett said simply. "Okay," she said to the others as she turned back to them. "This person that was the killer a year ago, do you remember much or any of him at all?"

"He was… he didn't really do much, just surprised us by standing over the body of another person from the same catering company," Caroline told them.

"Where was that?" Beckett asked. "The ballroom?"

"No," Scarborough said. "It was in the library."

Seeing nods of agreement from the Pearsons, Beckett turned to her husband and said, "Could it have been Lloyd?"

"Do you remember what he looked like," Castle said, knowing she was thinking something over at that point.

"Not too much, about my height," Marshall replied. "Which was as tall as that Lloyd guy is."

"And Mudd… Carter… Fischer," Greenglass commented.

"It can't be the doctor," Caroline protested. "He was with… you think the killer's working with someone."

"Something like that," Beckett said. "Looks wise," she then continued. "Could it have been Lloyd in disguise?"

"Now or then," Plumey said.

"Now, in disguise now," Castle replied.

"Maybe but it would have to be a great disguise," Caroline said first, her husband and Scarborough agreeing with her.

Thinking that over Beckett nodded and said, "You'll have to tell the police that." She then went to the window, looking out to check on the weather before she felt her husband coming up next to her to peer outside as well as the room behind them fell silent and they could almost sense the unease coming off the others.

" _You don't remember anything about the man who grabbed you_?" Castle asked, keeping his voice a little low as he glanced at Plumey; though he was sure the man wouldn't understand him.

" _He was taller than me_ ," Beckett said after thinking that over for a moment. " _When he grabbed me_." She wasn't surprised when her husband; after nodding; grit his teeth together a little. She placed her hand on his arm and said, " _If I saw him I could likely identify him_."

" _Just by body shape_?" Castle asked. When she nodded he then said, " _What about her husband_."

" _No, thinner than he was_ ," Beckett replied as she knew he was talking about Whitson. " _He was a little bulkier than you; taller too_."

" _So that means there are two killers_ ," Castle said, not realizing that their volume had risen a little so the others in the room could hear them. But he was more focused on that idea, since it meant that Lloyd really wasn't working alone.

" _It might or just the fact that he's not the killer; it's someone else_ ," Beckett replied.

" _What about the people here in the house_?" Castle said, turning to her fully. " _Anyone match that body type_?"

Beckett thought that over as seriously as she could, trying to remember everyone from the dinner, going down the table in her mind. " _The doctor and… the fox… the super hero_ ," she told him, having to divide the last word since she didn't know it in Irish.

"Excuse me?" Scarborough said then before Castle could reply to that. "What the hell are you two talking about?"

"Just discussing the… situation," Beckett said, nearly calling it a case but holding back just in time; not wanting to make it seem like she was emotionally detached from their suffering.

"And could you talk about it in English with us?" Musgrave said before his wife grabbed his hand.

A knock on the door luckily allowed Castle and Beckett to keep from replying and they went together to it to let in David. "You found something," they said at the same time.

"I found papers; finances; but no, nothing," he replied. "They're clean, both of them," David continued when he saw the look that Castle and Beckett exchanged. "They're doing well with the B&B and then in the off season their store. Nothing health wise either."

"What store?" Beckett asked.

"Well it's a café they co-own, though I think it's run by their partner," David replied.

"Is it the _Scarlet Java_?" Castle said. When his friend nodded he said, "Yeah that's successful as well, we had coffee there."

"So it's not them," Beckett said. "Thank you for looking into that for us though."

"You're welcome, you're alright?" David said.

"Fine," Beckett answered.

"Do you think you could ask John something?" Castle said.

"Sure," David said.

"Ask him if he had any problems from the murder mystery game he had last year," Castle told him.

"After it," Beckett replied.

"Like… someone getting angry at him?" David said. When the two nodded he said, "Sure, I'll be right back."

When Castle and Beckett turned back to the others they saw that Janice was stepping into the bathroom and they looked to each other.

"I was going to ask about that," Greenglass said. "How long do you need to stay here?"

"You wanted us to protect you," Castle pointed out to them.

"I think we should go back downstairs," Plumey said. "Go back into the family room with everyone else."

"But you two should stay with us," Caroline said. "Every time there's been a murder you've been somewhere else."

"Okay," Beckett said, a little annoyed by the group's changing mood though she didn't think she could blame them. "Once David gets back we'll go down with the others. And I think we'll need to talk about how we'll sleep tonight," she said, directing the last to her husband.

"I agree, if we're going to be stuck here all night…" Castle said, hearing the wind outside still as well as a nearby burst of thunder.

"Would the police even try to get out here?" Simone asked.

"They would but you said the branches were pretty substantial," Castle said, looking at Plumey and Greenglass.

"We didn't really," the former said. "It was more implied, since if we could have we would have moved them." He sighed and then said, "We should have just walked into the city."

"And have been struck by lightning," Caroline pointed out.

"Does it seem like my wife is taking a while?" Musgrave said when they'd all fallen silent.

"I don't think you can judge-" Pearson began.

"No, she wanted a second alone," Musgrave replied. He went over to the bathroom door and started to knock on it saying, "Babe? We're going down to the family room…" When there was no response he tried again and then said to the others who had all stood, "Something's wrong."

"Move," Castle said as the man tried to hit the door with his shoulder.

"What, you have experience?" Musgrave said incredulously.

"He does," Beckett replied as she went over to the man to hold him back and have the revolver at the ready, watching as her husband was able to easily kick the door open. She was able to hold Musgrave back as she and Castle looked inside first and she paused, seeing that the woman was inside the tub, arms draped over to the sides with blood on the right shoulder of her costume. She heard Musgrave behind her yelling his wife's name and she nearly fell over when he shoved her out of his way.

Castle went back to his wife and led her to the doorway murmuring in her ear, "The curtain rod."

Beckett glanced down at the floor, seeing the rod tucked away just underneath the tub and she nodded saying, "The window?"

"Water on the-" Castle started to say before Musgrave was turning to them.

"We're going to Shirley," the man said. "I don't care that Whitson's out there."

"What do you mean Whitson?" Simone asked from the room in anger.

"He's the only man there is," Musgrave said, looking at Greenglass and Pearson. "And his body is missing. What do you think I mean?"

"Enough," Beckett said, going to Simone as Castle held Musgrave back. "We need to go-"

"Not with me," Musgrave replied, going back into the bathroom.

"Don't-" Beckett started to say before she saw he'd picked up the body of his wife. She watched him set it down on the bed and then said, "You need to come with us."

Before Musgrave could reply to that there was a knock on the door and Castle went to open it for David saying, "There's been another murder," as soon as he saw his friend.

"It's… what?" the man said, sounding stunned.

"Mrs. Musgrave," Beckett said, going over to them. "She was in the bathroom and then struck on the head; we didn't hear a thing though. Have you've been with everyone else?"

"Yeah no one was gone, not even to use the bathroom," David insisted.

"We're going to join you," Beckett said then. "We'll have a better chance of protecting them if we're all together."  
"Are you sure?" Caroline said. "Because I'm last and it doesn't look like you can do much to keep us from slipping off from everyone else."

"That's not really their problem," David said in his friends' defense.

"Whatever the case," Scarborough said. "We're sitting ducks wherever we go."

"Then what do you want?" David said in exasperation.

"To stay alive," Simone said firmly before she and Caroline were the first to go.

Beckett nodded to David to joining the others as they walked out as well, watching as Musgrave sat next to his wife's body on the bed, clutching her hand tightly.

"Kate-" Castle started to say when she went inside.

"Marshall?" Beckett said gently. When he looked at her she said, "We should go."

"You'll… lock the door right?" Musgrave asked before he turned to her.

"We will," Castle said, holding the skeleton key in his hand.

With a nod Musgrave turned and walked out of the room looking inside for as long as he could. The lightning that flashed outside the house then made the light of the hall flicker and he said, "We can't go out."

"I don't think it's the best idea still," Castle replied, though at the same time he was counting. "But the storm might be dissipating," when the thunder happened and he'd counted to ten.

"So we just need to wait it out," Beckett said before she and Castle led the man over to the stairs to head down to where everyone was in the family room, looking over to them as soon as they'd entered.

"Is it true?" John asked.

"Can we talk to you here in the living room?" Castle said.

"Everyone," Beckett said, going to the doorway to the family room. "Stay in this room, my husband and I will be facing you and if you need something raise your hand."

Castle wasn't surprised when they got nods in return to that; guessing it was a mixture of finding out there had been another murder along with his wife's tone of voice that had made the other guests quiet. He looked at John then when the man had reached them and said, "What happened last year?"

"I… Mr. Foster didn't tell you?" the owner said, a little taken aback.

"We want to hear in more detail," Beckett said. "Namely who here were guests during that game?"

"That was Mudd, Barclay and Fischer," John said, not looking behind him.

"You're sure?" Castle asked.

"My memory isn't that bad," he said in response. "And of course the Scarboroughs and Pearsons."

"And none of them had problems with one another?" Castle asked.

"No at least not that I saw," John said, almost sounding defensive.

"Okay," Beckett said, holding up her hand then to calm him down.

"Mrs. Musgrave," John said then, becoming nervous. "She was in the room with you, how was she killed?"

Knowing the man meant that in the sense of the fact he and Beckett were supposed to be protecting her Castle said, "She wasn't exactly with the rest of us."

"She'd stepped into the bathroom," Beckett replied simply. "And was killed there by the curtain rod. I'm assuming the room is soundproof since we didn't hear anything."

"It is… but that window there is small," John protested.

"Not so if you're soaking wet and can slip through," Castle pointed out.

"So they came in that way," John said, looking thoughtful.

"There's the roof of the patio," Castle said.

Nodding the owner then replied, "That window must have been opened in the first place, there's no other way to get in."

"Excuse me," Beckett said to them. She then went to Musgrave and pulled him aside asking, "Did either you or your wife open the window in the bathroom this evening?"

"Yeah, we… took a shower," Musgrave said, his jaw clenching. "And we had the window open after for the steam in the room."

"Thank you," Beckett said, walking with him back to where he'd been sitting with Simone and Greenglass. Reaching her husband and John she told them both about the window and said, "If the killer has an accomplice here, with us, then it's likely they found out and told their partner where we were going to be."

"Which makes sense, we were here in the entry when they asked us to protect them and Musgrove suggested his room," Castle replied. "But the fact that…"

"What?" Beckett said as she could tell an idea had come to him.

"What if it's a conspiracy between them?" Castle said. "To get rid of their spouses."

Beckett wanted to protest that but looking over the owner's shoulder at the Pearsons; the last couple remaining together; she shook her head. "It's not," she said simply to him.

Following her gaze Castle was able to discern the same that she was and he nodded before the owner spoke.

"I've never really seen any of these couples having problems," John told them. "Of course that's only from what I've seen when I've seen them."

"Of course," Castle echoed. He then said, "Musgrave was talking about walking to the city."

"I think he was in shock," Beckett said. "But it might have to be done." She looked out the window with the other two men, seeing that the rain was still falling and she said to them both, "We have nothing else."

"What about taking Mudd to the room to have a look at Mrs. Musgrave?" Castle suggested.

"You're not sure-" John started to say before he was interrupted.

"To study the body," Beckett replied.

"I'll get him," Castle said. He went over to the room and looking around he was startled to not see the man at first glance. He walked around; looking at everyone to make sure he wasn't missing the doctor when he realized what had happened. "Beckett," he said, running back to the two. "He's not here."

"What?" she asked, going over to the room herself. She was able to see the same as Castle had and turned to head to the bathroom on the lower floor which was empty.

"Wait, here, he's here," John said quickly as he could hear his wife trying to calm down some of the other guests. He was at the room with the hidden stairs and said, "He looks like he's unconcious."

"Mudd?" Beckett said, stepping inside and pressing her fingers to his neck. "You're right, he is."

"Whitson!" the doctor said suddenly as his eyes flew open and he jumped. "You… Ms. Beckett?" he asked before he started to look around.

"William!" his wife cried, running to the doorway.

"Ma'am, please, stay back," John said as he watched Castle help the doctor stand.

"I was… going to the restroom with the Barclays to help him make sure his wife got back and… that's all I remember," Mudd was telling them. "I think," he said, licking his lips. "I got doused with chloroform."

"Take him into the family room and where the hell are the Barclays?" Castle said.

"I just took roll, they're not in the room," Rebecca said, running up after her husband.

Before anyone could react to that, there was a knock at the front door and Beckett motioned for her husband to follow him as she reached into her pocket for the revolver. She nodded to her husband to open the door and once he had flung it open she aimed her gun at the hulking figure that filled the space, darkened by the storm behind them.


	10. Feel The Cold Hand

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Thriller written by Rod Temperton and sung by Michael Jackson, from his album of the same name.

For a moment Castle thought that his wife had recognized the man standing in front of them and he wondered if it was the man who had grabbed her. But when she relaxed very slightly he said, to the man, "Who are you?"

"My name is Joey," the man replied. "I was driving down the road from the city, got stopped by a branch in the middle of it. Saw the lights on here and wanted to see if I could get some help moving it or use a phone to get some help. But weird thing," he said, pointing behind him. "Saw someone running from the porch and I called to them but they didn't answer me."

"Were they in a costume?" Beckett asked. At the man's nod she said, "What did you say your name was?"

"Joey Houston," the man replied. "You're having a party?"

"Something like that," Beckett said, gazing at her husband and seeing the same expression on his face that she was feeling.

"Please," Beatrice then said, going over and leading the man into the house. "Would you like something to drink before we take care of the branch?"

"That would be great," Houston said. He saw some slightly dismayed expressions on the guests' faces and then said, "Um… is that okay?"

"It's fine," Beatrice replied as she turned to Castle and Beckett.

"I can make some coffee," he said quickly as he saw his wife nod once. "This way," Castle told the motorist. "So besides the branch in the road you didn't come up to any other obstructions?"

"No just came across that person," Houston replied. "Weird thing seeing him in costume but of course…" he said as he gestured to the others in the kitchen with him. He was about to head to the table when he looked over and saw the TV and chair in the small room and said, "Door's open."

Striding over to it Beckett looked at the knob and saw that it hadn't been tampered with again. Not wanting to alert the motorist to what was going on; in case it turned out he was involved in the killings; she said to the Kemps, "You should get this looked at. Not a good thing to have the door open like that in this weather."

"Of course, we'll have to look at it once the storm dies down," Beatrice said with a weak smile.

"So is there a phone I can use or something?" Houston said, glancing from each person until he came back to Beckett.

"Unfortunately the phones aren't working," Castle answered for his wife. "You don't have a cell phone?"

"Well of course, that's the first thing I tried out," Houston said, sounding a little indignant. "But there's no reception; likely this storm."

"That's how it is in here," John commented, sitting at the table heavily.

"You okay?" Houston asked, seeing the man's wife and the couple not looking at him.

"I'm fine, it's just been a long night," John replied.

"Does everyone want coffee?" Castle asked them.

"That would be nice," Beatrice replied.

"In the meantime," Beckett said as her husband handed the motorist the first mug. "Can you tell us anything else about the man you had seen running?"

"Dunno if it was a man," Houston replied after taking a sip of the liquid before he shrugged. "He was tall though."

"Husky in shape?" Beckett asked.

"Oh definitely that," Houston said, nodding. "Any reason why you pulled a fake gun on me?"

"We were having a little fun with the party," Castle said, catching his wife's eye and holding her gaze. "We're supposed to be Bonnie and Clyde."

Houston laughed and said, "Nice, so I suppose I was a g-man. But why is everyone in that one room?"

"We were about to start a movie," Beatrice commented.

Seeing the way the woman grasped her husband's hand Beckett wondered what that was for but instead said, "She's right, something scary before we finish off with more dancing."

"Sounds good," Houston said. He took another sip and just as Castle was handing his wife a mug he slapped the top of the table and said, "I know where I've seen you before. You're those novelists aren't you?"

"We are," Castle said, recovering from the horror of nearly spilling the coffee into his hands as the thud had caught him off guard. He set the mug in front of Beckett on the table and said, "Going back to the person you'd seen, could you tell what kind of costume he was wearing?"

Grunting slightly as he was drinking then Houston said, "No clue but I saw a part of it; some kind of cape."

Looking at her husband quickly, Beckett said, "So… a vampire with a black cape?"

"I don't think it was a vampire costume," Houston said, shaking his head. "Not unless he dyed it with blood."

"So it was red," Castle said.

"Could still be a vampire," Houston mused. "Why is someone here that?"

"Not in red," John said before he could stop himself. He looked into his mug when Castle and Beckett nearly glared at him before murmuring an apology he hoped they understood.

"What about a super hero?" Beckett asked. "Superman is still popular."

"Could be… but he'd have to have gone outside without a cloak since he had a coat too," Houston said. "Though it could be woman," he said with a slight smirk. "Imagine her in a Super Girl costume in that c-"

"Mr. Houston," Beckett said warningly. "Sorry," she said when the man looked shocked at her tone. "If the figure was tall and hulking-" she then started to say.

"I'm pretty sure your Super Girl was a Superman," Castle finished for her, standing next to her at the table.

"Are you interrogating me?" Houston suddenly asked, looking offended.

"Just asking about the guest," Beatrice said easily. "Because he and his wife went outside and we're a little concerned about them."

"Outside?" Houston replied, looking at Castle and Beckett and telling from their expressions that it wasn't a joke. "Well… yeah, I can see why you'd be worried. Have you been having some trouble with this party?"

"Just a slight mess up in a scavenger hunt," John said before Castle or Beckett could. "I should tell you about last year, I planned out this murder mystery game and it was a disaster. So I move to a scavenger hunt and look what happens."

"It was," Beatrice said as the motorist looked to them. "He was disappointed but I told him we should just stick to dancing next year since we're all couples here."

"And that's what I almost did this year though I tried a less intensive hunt," John replied with a slight smile. "Which worked out of course until…" he began before hurriedly cutting himself off.

"Until what?" Houston asked. When no one answered he said, "Until that couple left?"

"Yeah," Castle said. "Do you want more coffee or are you good?"

"Another mug if that's okay?" Houston asked.

It was then that Castle looked at his wife, once he had the brewer going for another cup. He knew why she didn't want them telling the man about their situation but he didn't see why they should delay to help the lie along.

"So you two write," Houston said, looking at Beckett. "How's that going for you?"

"Fine," she replied, wondering if she could get her foot between his legs to stop the way he was staring at her. He wasn't looking at anything but her face but his gaze was a little unnerving and though she hated to wait getting the police there she knew it had to be done.

The four watched the man sipping at his coffee, still nursing their own as they waited for him to finish it. The kitchen was silent and it almost seemed the entire house was silent except for the wind that blew every so often outside in the trees.

"Okay you have some really great coffee," Houston said appreciatively to the Kemps. "What're your names? Feel bad I didn't introduce myself normally to you."

"I'm John and this is Beatrice, we're the Kemps," the owner said.

"Oh… you're the ones at the B&B, so that's what they were talking about in the café," Houston said. "I was told I'd pass you on the way to the highway so I'm glad I didn't reach you before that branch." He looked at the others and asked, "Are we ready to go?"

When his wife had gotten up from the table Castle reached out and held her back to allow the others to go ahead of them to the entry.

"What is it Castle?" Beckett asked him, thinking he had some kind of theory about the motorist.

"Does this feel real to you?" Castle asked. He saw his wife was a little confused and he told her, "The weapons, even a motorist asking for help, it all feels like _Strawberry Fields_."

"What was in your coffee?" Beckett asked him, startled at that statement.

"Nothing, I'm talking about the fact that nothing is real," Castle said. "Nothing feels real."

"Are you coming?" John asked, going over to the doorway of the dining room where the two still were. "If not I could use my revolver back."

"We're coming," Beckett said, looking at her husband before she followed the owner out to the entry.

"Beatrice," John said then, going to his wife standing in the doorway of the living room. "I'm going with them to unblock the road and then I'll-"

"What about the storm?" one of the guests asked.

"It's stopped for now," Castle said. "David, Rebecca?"

"Are you going?" the former said, walking up to him and Beckett with his wife.

"We both are," Beckett said, giving her husband a look when she could see that he was going to protest.

"Do you want us to keep an eye on everything?" Rebecca then said.

"That would be nice," Castle replied. "Yell out the door if anything comes up and keep the Pearsons in sight at all times."

After she, Castle and John had their things on Beckett looked over at Mudd, seeing he was putting on a coat himself. "Are you sure you should go?" she inquired when he joined them at the doorway.

"I'm alright and if the person he saw is Barclay, Mrs. Barclay…" the doctor replied before trailing off as he glanced to the guests who had gathered to see them leaving.

"Here," John said suddenly, trying to take attention away to what Mudd had said by giving a flashlight to him. He then handed one to Houston; since the man had been using his phone.

"No lanterns?" Castle asked.

"Better to use the flashlights out there," John said simply before he took it.

"Okay let's go," Beckett said then once she was sure that everyone was ready to go before she moved her hand to the pocket where the revolver was. She let her husband follow Houston, keeping close to him as John and Mudd came behind them. She looked up at the sky as they headed past the parked cars, seeing patches of sky as well as the moon before she looked ahead of them. "Did you see anyone else on the road?" she said to Houston.

"No," the man said, shaking his head. "It's deserted I wouldn't have tried to go down myself but my wife wanted me back home."

"There's another way around from Shirley," John said.

"Of course," Houston said, glancing over his shoulder at them. "But this way is quicker, according to GPS. So why the gun?"

"There have been some… murders," John said, looking up ahead at Castle and Beckett.

"No kidding?" Houston asked, seeing the couple behind him looking back at the owner. When he didn't get a response to that he continued on to the end of the driveway and down the road to the left. "Just a little bit down here."

"We'll help him," John said, speeding up with Mudd to catch up with Castle and Beckett. "Guard us with the gun."

"I will," Beckett said, watching them join Houston.

" _I've been thinking_ ," Castle told his wife then. " _None of this makes sense_."

" _I know how you feel already about that_ ," Beckett replied, having been going over the case again in her mind.

" _Do you get the feeling_ ," Castle said. " _That everything is working out for the killer too well_?"

" _Not that Strawberry Fields theory_ ," Beckett tried not to groan.

" _It's not a theory_ Kate," Castle replied firmly. " _We need to stay back_ ," he said, looking around them. " _What if we were lured out here_?"

" _If it's not real, then why worry_?" Beckett asked. " _And I'm armed_ ," she reminded him.

"True," Castle murmured though he noticed that his wife was a little more alert; able to tell that she was by the way she was holding herself. He looked ahead of them and soon saw a large obstruction in the road before Houston and Mudd illuminated it. "They weren't kidding, that's a huge-" he started to say before there was the sound of a gun being fired nearby.

Running over to the side of the road and taking cover behind a tree Beckett shone the flashlight that she grabbed from Castle before her husband was taking it back.

"You have the gun," he told her in a whisper as they listened for the sound of anyone walking around on the road. "What about-" he started to say.

"Shh," Beckett told him firmly. She peered around the side of the tree but couldn't see anyone in sight before she suddenly heard the sound of branches breaking in the distance and leaves being trod on.

Castle followed her back out to the road though they remained close to the edge to have cover if they needed it. Before they could take a step at that moment they heard the crunching sound of leaves behind them and he nearly put his wife behind him before someone in a heavy hooded coat stepped onto the road, a gun aimed at them both. "Houston," he began to say before he felt his wife reaching back to stop him.

As soon as Castle had spoken the man was pulling something out from behind a tree and when that something was close enough he put the muzzle of the gun under the chin of John Kemp.

"Please," the owner said, looking frantically at Castle and Beckett. "Don't kill me, please."

"Shut up," the gunman said with a growl that was obviously meant to disguise his voice. "If you move an inch, he's dead."

"Barclay," Beckett said, holding her gun in place as she kept her eyes on the attacker. "Put the gun down and let go of him."

"I don't think you can call the shots," the gunman said. "Put your gun down and I might let you go."

"Do it, please!" John said in a panic.

Castle felt as if that moment lasted far longer than it actually did before he watched his wife kneel to set the gun on the ground. As soon as it was down he grabbed her when the gunman shot at them and then ran off into the words, leaving John behind to fall to the ground. "Are you okay?" he asked as his wife took off after the attacker once she had the gun back in her hand.

"I'm fine go, get him!" John replied.

Running after his wife Castle tried to keep her within view until she took a sudden left around a tree and by the time he got around it as well she was gone. He stopped, wanting to call out to her, but knew that he couldn't unless he wanted to draw Houston to him; knowing the man had been used to lure them out of the B&B. It was as he looked around he realized he was near the home and he wondered if the man was aware of the area already. Before he could think about that anymore though he heard a crack to his right followed by leaves rustling and he ran that way as fast as he could, hoping he wasn't too late to reach his wife.

Running around another tree Beckett nearly slid to a stop on some wet leaves, wondering if she had lost her suspect as there was nothing ahead of her. She raised her gun and scanned the surrounding area though with so many trees it was too difficult to see very far in front of her. She heard a crack of a twig behind her and whirled around only to have the revolver knocked out of her hands and needing to scramble to regain her balance as she was thrown into a tree. Feeling the bark underneath her palms as she managed to keep from colliding with the trunk she found she was alone and she began to search for her gun.

There was no sign of the weapon and Beckett hesitated as she didn't want to commit to moving in a direction when she had no idea what she was going to find. She felt the wind blow around her and for a moment that was the only sound she could hear. But soon the repeated thuds of someone running came from her left and she turned to see her husband; just barely; through the trees. "Rick!" she called, going over to him as he slid to a stop.

"Are you… okay," Castle panted as he reached for her and grabbed her by both her arms.

"I'm fine what about John?" Beckett asked.

"He's alright, he told me to go after you," Castle said. He then realized she was holding onto him with both hands herself. "Where's your gun?" he asked as he then looked at her closely to make sure she wasn't injured.

"I got surprised," Beckett said. "By Barclay."

"If that's his name," Castle said grimly. "You didn't see which direction they went in?"

"I was thrown into a tree," Beckett replied simply. "Had to make sure I didn't fall over so by the time I straightened up he was gone."

"Did you try listening?" Castle asked.

"I was, I heard you," Beckett told him, glancing all around them.

"We need to do that again," Castle replied, looking through what he could see in between the trees.

The two were silent holding onto one another still and looking around though there was still little to see but the trees.

"I don't…" Beckett finally said after they'd spent enough time in silence.

"Yeah," Castle said, knowing they needed to think of something else to do. "We're… close to the house, I think," he told her.

"You think?" Beckett asked.

"Well do you know where we are?" Castle said.

"The house is that way," Beckett replied simply, pointing to the left of them. "You think we should go back?"

"We should," Castle agreed. "Come on," he murmured. As they were making their way around the foliage he helped her, knowing that it probably hadn't been easy for her to run while wearing her heels. "Okay?"

"I am, I would have mentioned something," Beckett said easily. "It's not Barclay," she abruptly said as they came to a clearing.

"No I think I can agree with that," Castle said as he'd been thinking the same, running his hand through his hair that had come loose while he'd run. He saw his wife looking around again and asked, "What?"

Holding up her hand Beckett could hear speaking again and much clearer until they heard running, going around them both. "Go that way," she said in a whisper before they split up and he took off to the left while she made her way to the right and began to work again through the woods away from each other.

Pushing his way through some low hanging branches Castle stopped and looked around to get his bearings before he suddenly heard the sounds of a struggle to his right. He knew instinctively; before he heard her shout; that it was Beckett and he began to turn in that direction when in his peripheral view he saw a figure passing in front of the trees and he turned in to it. He only began to run when he heard the thud of running to his right and knew it was his wife, hoping she wouldn't be annoyed he'd gone ahead of her.

After she had left Castle, Beckett tried to keep up with the figure that was ahead of her but eventually a large cluster of trees prevented her from maintaining sight of him. When she stopped in a clearing she was alone and all she could hear was Castle to her left still running. She wanted to yell at him that they were being split up deliberately so they could regroup but hesitated.

In the next second she was swiftly ducking out of the way of an object being yielded by a second attacker. She couldn't see who had struck at her as they were suddenly running away from her after that one attempt, back to her left. Beckett took off after him, hoping that her husband was alright though she had no idea if he was still where she'd heard him stop.

Castle was startled when the trees suddenly cleared around the edge of the pond and stopped to look ahead of him. He wasn't surprised when he suddenly saw the figure walking back and forth ahead of him, getting an uneasy feeling watching the man. "What do you want?" he asked.

"What's coming to me," the man replied before turning around and running off again.

Castle picked up a branch and ran after the gunman until they had reached a clearing. Trying to swing his makeshift weapon he wasn't too surprised when the attacker grabbed the other end and began to wrench it from his hands. He held onto it as tightly as he could as he felt it beginning to slip out of his grasp. But an abrupt explosion of pain on his thigh made him stagger backwards before he used the tree behind him to keep his balance. Watching the man in front of him he braced himself when he tossed the branch aside. The move would have surprised him, if he could have forgotten the fact that the man had a gun.

Before he could be threatened with it Castle ran into the gunman and tried to take him down. But whoever he was the attacker knew how to defend himself and he was suddenly on his back with the wind nearly knocked out of him. He pushed himself up when he recovered and grabbed for the man yet again.

There was a scuffle then between the two as Castle was trying to get to one of the pockets in the man's coat while he was trying to stop him. Somehow he had the gunman by the neck when the man flailed back with his arm, striking Castle in the nose and running out of the clearing as soon as he was let go.

With his nose beginning to bleed he reached for the handkerchief in his suit pocket feeling at the same time to see if his nose had been broken. Castle breathed out an audible sigh of relief when he realized it wasn't before he turned to look around to try and see where his attacker had gone. But there was no sight of him and since he knew he would be foolish to attempt to take on the man alone he started to go back to find his wife; hoping she'd made it to the pond.

As he neared the water Castle could see something lighter than the trees up ahead and knew it was his wife but before he could get close he was unexpectedly attacked yet again. He ducked the object in the man's hand with a yell of surprise, knowing though his adrenaline was pumping through him that it was the other attacker. He did his best to get out of the way and grabbed the man's arm before they began to try and get control of the weapon at the same time.

"Rick!" Castle could hear near them. He couldn't stop the man from getting away from him and then yelled out, "Kate! Help!" so she would know where to find him as he was again getting out of the way of another swing of the object.

When Beckett came to a stop at the shore of the pond she looked through the tree line, searching for sight of anyone. Her panting breath plumed in front of her, the chill of the night surrounding her even more in that moment without the trees to surround her. She tried to stifle the sound and listened for any signs of either attacker in the woods.

The crack of a branch to her left made her begin to run that way but when she heard a shout to her right she nearly skidded to a stop in the dirt. Whirling around she held herself still, trying to decide which direction she needed to go in.

But all that she could hear were the sounds of the woods themselves; an owl hooting, a squirrel scampering out from behind a tree and the soft breeze that made Beckett shiver and hug herself for warmth though her dress was thick fabric. She turned to her left again but her instinct told her to turn back around and head towards the shout.

Going around the pond and walking that time Beckett hoped she might be able to hear something besides her heels pounding on the ground. But all that came to her was silence once more and she began to feel she was on a fool's errand, pausing in mid step, wondering if she should turn around and get some help for them both since she was so close to the house.

As that thought ran through her mind, Beckett heard a sudden yell and there was no mistaking it. "Rick!" she called to him.

"Kate! Help!" Castle yelled back to her.

Hearing in his tone a struggle Beckett took off at a run again through the trees and to her husband's voice. She had no idea how far away from her he was but she pushed on even as she felt like the trees were beginning to close on her in the dark. Just as she was sure she was getting close something grabbed her skirt and she nearly stumbled to the ground, turning to fight them off.

Beckett was able to see in the light of the moon that it was only an overgrown shrub, the branches snagging on her dress. She broke them off and stood up straight before she ran right into someone. "Rick, god, where is he?" she asked when she quickly realized it was her husband as he grabbed her.

"I don know, he 'it me and got away," Castle said, holding a handkerchief up to his nose with his free hand.

"Wait you're not going to be any good with that," Beckett said, taking over to try and stem his bloody nose. Luckily he hadn't been hit too hard and she was able to pull the handkerchief away from him soon after. "Which way did he go?" she then asked. When he winced and wouldn't look at her she said, "You didn't see?"

"I was almost bludgeoned, what did you want me to do?" Castle asked in protest.

Sighing Beckett said, "At least show me where you were."

Looking around the woods Castle shook his head saying, "I'd be lucky to find it in the day. But I was walking this way."

Letting him take her hand Beckett followed him while she was still trying to listen for anything unusual. And with the way her husband sounded like he was barely breathing she had a feeling that he was too. They eventually came to a clearing and the clouds cleared in front of the moon just long enough for her to spy something in the dirt. "You were here," she said, pointing out the blood on the ground to him that was reflecting the dim light.

"I was," Castle said, frowning slightly as he then looked around. "I think he would have taken the more difficult path, likely to confuse us."

"We probably should split up again," Beckett said, going over to another path she could see that wasn't exactly easily navigable.

"You want-" Castle started to say before he was abruptly cut off.

"Hey!" Beckett yelled, seeing her husband being dragged off by a figure that had suddenly come up running to them. She raced after them but since the figure was taking the more overgrown path her pace was impeded by the branches in her way. She had no clue why Castle wasn't fighting against his kidnapper and as the two got further and further ahead of her she had a sickening feeling in her chest that he had been injured. So it was a surprise when she ran into a clearing and nearly into her husband who was standing rigid; grabbing him by the arm before she turned to the attacker in front of them aiming a gun at them.

Grabbing his wife Castle nearly threw her to the ground when the man's finger on the trigger of his gun moved slightly. But instead of being shot at they watched as he raised his arm and shot into the sky. "Look, just put down-" he began to say.

"Can't do it," the gunman replied, pointing his weapon at them again.

"You don't need to kill us," Beckett said. "We have nothing to do with your time here last year."

"You don't know anything about last year," the gunman replied.

"Wait, wait, what are you doing!" a voice said from behind Castle and Beckett.

Worried that it was Houston, Castle held his wife protectively until he saw the owner working his way through the trees. "What are you doing?" he asked in surprise. "Go back or you'll get shot."

"No, please," John said, appealing to the gunman. "I've talked to Houston and he's stopped."

"I was going to kill him," the man said.

"He's going to jail, so you don't have to," John said. "But please, there's been enough tonight."

"It had to be perfect," the man replied. "All of it had to and it's not yet."

"That's not your son is it?" Castle asked the owner.

"Shut up!" the gunman yelled, taking another step towards the three.

"Okay, we will," Beckett said then. "But why take Whitson's body? At least tell us that before you kill us," she said, feeling Castle's arm squeezing hers tightly.

"Made you think it was him," the gunman replied simply, looking back and forth between them.

"Where's his body?" Castle said, tapping his fingers onto his wife's arm.

"You'll find him," the gunman replied easily.

"How if we're dead," Castle replied, though he was already well aware of the fact that the man was going to let John go.

"You think you've figured everything out," the man replied. "But you haven't."

"Then why kill us," Beckett replied, tapping on her husband's arm then. "Just let us go and run. We don't know who you are or what your voice even sounds like."

"No fun in that," the man said. "You were close."

"So you're not Barclay," Castle said, glancing at the owner. When there was no response to what he'd said he told the man, "If you're waiting for help, it's not going to get here."

Beckett wasn't surprised when things fell silent yet again but she couldn't help hate that as it drew out for what felt like hours instead of the seconds it was. "We're going to go," she said, turning.

"Don't move," the gunman replied.

"What, you want us to stay where we are?" Beckett asked. "Now?"

With that Castle moved at their agreed upon signal and rushed at the man while his wife bent down to pick up a branch. She was able to toss it towards the attacker and distract him to give him a chance to knock him over. But he was able to recover too quickly, leaving Castle to get out of the way of his gun that had aimed for him before John was jumping on the killer's back.

"Don't-" Beckett started to say when all of a sudden the gunman turned around and grabbed at the owner. She tried to pull John away but was knocked aside and nearly off balance before she straightened to find that her husband was frozen, looking at the attacker.

"Stop," the man said demandingly, holding his gun against John's head. "Unless you want me to blow his brains out, stop _now_."

Everything was still at that moment as the three looked at each other, Castle and Beckett unsure of how they would be able to leave those woods alive as they watched the gun pressing to the owner's head.


	11. To Hide What They've Got

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Abandoned Love written by Bob Dylan, the version I've taken from is from a demo recorded by George Harrison.

For a split second Castle and Beckett's eyes met before they said together at the same time, "Let him go Mudd."

To her complete surprise Beckett watched as the doctor did so and John stepped forward before he took the gun from the man.

"What-" Castle began to say, thinking that he and his wife were about to be shot by the owner.

"So I guess the mystery is over," John said, walking to Beckett and showing her the bullets for the gun.

"They're blanks," she said, looking at her husband.

"Do you mean to tell me that all of this was just a game?" Castle asked as Mudd took the hood off of his head.

"You wanted to make it more realistic," Beckett said. "So the five in the house aren't dead?"

"And you relied heavily on Clue I think," Castle said. "I had a feeling after we almost got beaned on the head by a wrench," he told his wife.

"You almost guessed that it was when we were walking to that branch," John said. "Houston; who is actually Joey Range; helped me get it out of the road."

"So who is everyone?" Beckett asked.

"Why don't we go to the house first, that way everyone can reunite with everyone else and we can explain everything," John said, sounding a little unsure as he spoke.

"I really didn't kill anyone," Mudd said, taking a step though hesitating when Castle and Beckett didn't move.

"You hit me on the nose," Castle pointed out.

"Because you were holding onto me, hurting me," Mudd replied, sounding anxious. "Sorry."

"Who are you?" Beckett asked.

"I am a doctor," the man replied. "Dr. Kenneth Mudd, I've been a guest here for years and am good friends with John and Beatrice. When he asked me to help out with this game… I jumped at the chance. Sorry."

"We should go inside like you were saying," Beckett told the owner.

"I am sorry about all of this but… we planned things out before you reserved your rooms," John said nervously as he led the way to the house.

"So things went haywire with that?" Castle said. When the man nodded he said to his wife, "He knew we were that good."

Glancing at her husband at that obvious self compliment Beckett then said, "You weren't afraid anyone was going to get hurt?"

"The… you were grabbed by accident," Mudd said then. "Whitson did that and he was supposed to give a little chloroform to Mrs. Plumey but he got confused because your dress color is similar to hers."

Castle grew a little angry then at the reminder of what had happened to his wife but when she put her hand on his he calmed. "You probably should have stopped the game then," he said.

"Actually I think it was okay that he kept going," Beckett replied, looking at him pointedly.

"Beatrice was going to tell the others that this was a game while we were gone and they're supposed to guess who the murderer is," John said.

"Are they going to be able to?" Castle asked.

"So there wasn't a scavenger hunt was there?" Beckett asked.

"This was it," John said sheepishly. "I should have realized that you would have taken charge of an investigation; asking you… I didn't think there was any other way we could go." At that moment they reached the house and he hurried to the door, opening it for the others. "We'll meet the others in the ballroom."

"So now we'll have the party," Castle said.

"Right," John said.

" _Should we forgive him_?" Beckett asked with a smile to her husband as they walked ahead of the two men.

" _You're inclined to_?" Castle asked instead of answering.

" _That was an accident_ ," Beckett replied. " _And he was only trying to give his guests some entertainment. We should just advise him to be a little less enthusiastic if he's going to do this again next year_."

Before Castle could say anything to that they reached the doorway to the ballroom and saw that the other guests were all there with pieces of paper. He then said quickly to his wife, " _After he tells us how he was able to do everything_."

Rebecca was running to them both so Beckett only had time for a brief nod of her head to him before her friend was hugging her tightly.

"Now that we know it wasn't real I'm not worried but I was when we heard those shots," she said after pulling away.

"They were blanks," Beckett assured her.

"Where's my wife?" John said then.

"I'm here," Beatrice said from behind them. "They were shocked but relieved to find out that the murders weren't real. But they were worried about the two of you."

"They didn't think we were in on it?" Castle asked.

"No because I assured them that we had been expecting you to investigate," Beatrice said.

At that moment Beckett thought of something and said, "You were planning on giving those free weekends away to whoever could guess the killer."

"Yes but I think we'll do a raffle," John said. "But we'll give you one free weekend, since in the end you did guess."

Glancing back to Mudd who was waiting so he could reveal himself Castle then said, "Thank you for that."

"Ladies, gentlemen," John said, going into the ballroom. "I am sorry for the deceit. We were trying to make this a game for you but last year when I attempted to do the same I wasn't able to do a very good job with it," he continued, sounding anxious again. "None of you were in danger-"

"What about them?" Carter called, pointing to Castle and Beckett.

"They weren't either," John replied. "If you heard guns of any kind they had blanks so no one would have been harmed. We were trying to make it as realistic as possible. Now some spouses would like to reunite so is it alright if we bring them down?" When he got nods from everyone he left to head upstairs and nodded to his wife in passing.

"Let me get everyone's papers," Beatrice said, going back into the room.

Putting his arm around his wife's waist Castle looked at the Fosters who weren't holding papers and he said, "You're not going to guess?"

"No we didn't really want to," David replied. He shrugged and said, "Felt too real. I don't know how you guys can do it."

"You get used to it. To a degree," Beckett said before she hurriedly added the rest. "But you're okay?"

"It makes us that much appreciative of each other," Rebecca replied, motioning between herself and her husband. "So we're looking forward to getting to finally dance."

"Me too," Castle replied.

Since he was looking at her Beckett turned to him and said teasingly, "What if I was too tired?" She was startled when he suddenly looked concerned and she said, "I'm not, I want to dance too."

"I think you should listen to your wife Rick," Rebecca said, looking at her friends with a slight smile on her face. "She seems to be in the peak of health."

Castle furrowed his brow at that phrase but then followed her gaze to Beckett, seeing that she did look alright. Her cheeks were a little pink from the cold and running around the woods but she was smiling a bit while she looked around the room as Beatrice was taking a bowl full of the papers to a table that had been set up. "At least one dance," he suddenly told her.

Turning to look at him at his slightly serious tone of voice Beckett smiled again as she could see he meant what he'd said and told him, " _I want more than that love_."

For the first time in a while Castle couldn't be sure if his wife was being a little flirty or if she was referring to them dancing. But Beckett seemed to take pity on him and pulled him down to her so she could whisper in his ear.

John came back into the room then not realizing that he was cutting off a number of conversations; including Castle and Beckett's; before the former could reply to his wife. "First," he said as he could tell his wife was still looking at the guesses off to the side of the room. "Here are the victims, back with us."

Beckett looked on as the Plumeys, Whitsons, Musgraves, Scarboroughs and Greenglasses reunited, surprised when the other guests applauded them. "I have to commend him on the names," she murmured to her husband.

"What if that is their real name?" Castle asked.

"Then it was a good decision," Beckett said.

"I had to change some names," John said. "We did," he corrected, nodding to his wife. "The Pearsons are in fact the Pearsons; they've been here many times before so we couldn't change their name. But the Whitsons are the Whitechapels."

"Too obvious," Castle murmured to his wife.

"The Musgraves are the Morrisons," John continued.

"Too far," Beckett murmured as she knew the last name was supposed to be close to Mustard from the game.

"The Plumeys are the Pilchards," John then said.

"Too far," Castle and Beckett said at the same time before they smiled at one another, trying not to laugh.

"The Scarboroughs are the Stanleys," John said.

"Way, way off," Castle whispered to his wife.

"And the Greenglasses are the Greenleys," John ended with.

"Pretty close," Beckett said.

"Would you guys stop!" Rebecca said though she was laughing slightly.

"Are those their real names?" someone asked then before the owner could speak again.

"Their first names? Yes," John replied with a nod. "Are you ready?" he asked his wife.

Nodding Beatrice began to read who had guessed was the fake killer correctly but that didn't take long as no one had.

"It was difficult," Fischer commented.

"I can see, I am sorry you didn't have much involvement in the game," John said.

"We are too," Castle said for himself and his wife.

"You did what you know to do," Rowena said, going over to them and the Fosters with her husband. "And protected us, thank you."

"We made sure you weren't able to help us out," Marshall Morrison said. "But you tried, so we know you two are the real deal."

"The r-" Castle was about to ask before his wife nudged him in the ribs. "Thanks," he said finally, looking at her.

"Alright I'm sure you've noticed by now who's missing among us, so let's have the 'killers' join us," John told everyone.

Seeing Mudd joined by Range, everyone applauded them before the doctor's wife ran to hug him tightly. "Sorry about this," he said, Range adding his own apology.

As the other guests were gathering around the actors from that night Beckett went over to the Kemps and said, "When are you having the raffle?"

"Right now," John said as he watched his wife go to a second bowl that was next to the one holding the guesses. "Everyone, we have one more thing before we go back to our party, we have three free weekends or three days two nights. We'll raffle them off right now."

Watching as three couples were announced Beckett said, "We'll come back next year."

"Maybe around Valentine's Day?" Castle said.

"I don't think you two need a holiday for that," David said, able to hear them.

"Okay now we can start dancing! Enjoy the rest of your night everyone!" John said before one of the people from the catering company started to play music on a laptop.

After the Kemps had joined Castle and Beckett in the dining room the former was the first to speak telling the couple, "So the company is involved too?"

"Yes," John said first.

"The story you were told about the first time we tried the murder mystery game was true," Beatrice said. "They helped us and they were glad to do so again; though it was a disaster the company received more business."

"So they wanted to do that again," Beckett said. At the couple's nods she said, "And the guests, your victims?"

"And the killer and motorist," Castle said. "By the way, great job adding him in; very like the movie."

"We didn't want to be like it too much," John said. "But out of the people who went to the house in the movie we figured a motorist would make the most sense."

"You've known about the storm for some time," Beckett said. "And that's why you used it."

"It was a big help," John agreed with a nod.

"And you had Range put out the logs?" Castle said, as he recalled that Fischer had gone with the two men.

"Fischer going was to lend it some credence," Beckett then added.

"You're right," John said. He gave them a brief smile before looking serious and then saying, "I had a feeling you'd be able to figure things out."

"And getting all the bodies? Without anyone discovering what you were doing?" Castle asked.

"That was mostly Range, though the staircase out there was a big help at times," John replied. "And all the wounds, blood-"

"Were fake," Castle and Beckett said together at the same time.

"Yes and Denise is a wonderful makeup artist," Beatrice told them. "In her spare time she works on local movies."

"Wow she should go to Hollywood, I bet they'd hire her in a second," Castle said.

"Who?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"Anyone," Castle replied before he glanced over at the doorway to the ballroom to see that the woman was there.

"Thank you," Denise said with a slight smile. "Sorry I was lying to you."

"It's fine," Castle said. "Should tell everyone involved that we're fine."

"I should ask, though I know the answer already, Whitson was in a harness?" Beckett asked.

"That was Denise as well," Beatrice replied. "Since she knows people at the local high school theater department. And that was why Whitson was the victim with the rope; it was easier for him to do that."

"He volunteered for it," John said rapidly. "We let everyone pick their… weapon and he chose that. And we left the wrench to not make it so obvious."

"What about the Barclays?" Castle then said.

"They were the red herring, along with Lloyd of course, though his name is his real name and he never looked any different than he does now," John said. "They were waiting in the room off the kitchen once they left with Mudd."

"Good idea, we'd noticed them before," Castle said with a nod.

"So…" John started to say.

"While I would suggest to you that next time you try this you need to tell your guests that it is in fact a game; we're okay with this," Beckett said.

"Though we're a little annoyed it took this long to get to dancing," Castle said.

"He is," Beckett said, giving him a look.

"True," Castle replied before he looked over at the couple. "And I have to commend-" he started to say.

"We do," Beckett interrupted him. When her husband looked at her she merely smiled and then turned back to the Kemps to continue for him with, "For your attention to detail."

"Oh well I'm glad we could do that," John said with a nod. "Is there anything else you'd like to know?"

"I think we have all our questions answered," Castle replied. "You're lucky the storm was as strong as it was."

"Believe me, we are," Beatrice replied.

"So you never called the police did you?" Beckett said suddenly.

"No the house phones do work though," John said. "We made sure no one but us tried to use them."

"Again, great attention to detail," Castle said. "Kate, would you care to dance?" he then asked his wife.

"Of course," Beckett said, taking his slightly outstretched hand so they could walk over to the ballroom together. She went to the middle of the dance floor with him and since it was a slower song at that moment turned to him and put her arms around his neck. Pressing close against him as they began to sway she sighed slightly and said, " _I wasn't kidding_."

" _You're sure_?" Castle said, pulling back a little to look her in the eye.

" _Yes and no one would question us wanting to leave a little early_ ," Beckett replied. " _We were just running through the woods after all_."

"You make a valid point and that reminds me I could use something to eat," Castle said, looking over at the table where the desserts had been moved to. He laughed when his wife lightly slapped the back of his head and then turned to her saying, " _I'm kidding. And I agree, we need our rest if we're going to ride tomorrow_."

"We will," Beckett said before she leaned over to press her cheek against her husband's. She slid it against his and murmured something in his ear briefly. When he nodded she smiled and as soon as the song ended they were walking together over to the table, getting glasses of champagne that were being served.

"So how did you figure all of this out?" a woman said, coming over to them.

"We didn't know until the last second," Castle replied. "But once we realized the motorist was the accomplice, Mudd fell into place since really who would suspect a doctor?"

"Though it made sense after we came to the conclusion it was him when we remembered he'd been the only one to confirm each victim was dead," Beckett added.

"I'm just glad it wasn't real," the woman said, picking up two glasses of champagne. "And that now we can have a party."

"Oh, that'll be the first of those," Castle commented under his breath.

"If that's what she wants," Beckett said as they watched the woman going back to her husband. "And him too."

"I want to make a comment about beds-" Castle began to say.

"Maybe you shouldn't," Beckett said, looking at him with slightly narrowed eyes.

"Right," Castle said shortly. He then put down his empty glass and turned to his wife, taking her hand with his.

Beckett looked up at him and then smiled as she could see his desire already in his eyes. Squeezing his hand after setting down her own glass she followed him to the middle of the room again and they began to dance. That song was a little faster and she laughingly said, "It's almost a Quickstep."

"You don't know how to dance it?" a woman they remembered was named Wendy Murphy asked next to them.

"No," Castle said. "Our daughter does though."  
The song stopped and once they'd done so as well Wendy said, "I only asked because I'd heard that your dress was from the show; for that same dance."  
"His too but of course not the same exact suit," Beckett replied. "Do you know how to dance?"

"We have a studio in the city," the woman replied. "Mainly ballet but we do know Ballroom. I could teach you if you wanted to learn how to actually dance it."

"She loves to teach," her husband said with a slight smile.

"Come on love," Castle said. "We could surprise Julia when we go home tomorrow."

Beckett wanted to protest but found she had come to the point where she couldn't do that anymore. And she had to admit; in watching the dance that Maria and Derek had performed so many times to help Martha design her dress; she was interested in it. "Okay," she said. She couldn't help burst out into laughter as her husband looked to her in stunned disbelief and she covered her mouth with her hand quickly. "I'm serious," she then told him. "But just a quick lesson," she told the couple who were standing with them still.

"Basic steps," Bruce said to his wife. He then went over to the catering company worker who was behind the laptop playing music and spoke to him. "It's a classic," he said once he walked back. "But not the one used for your dance."

"It wasn't our dance," Beckett said.

"You are going to teach us right?" Castle commented as the two got into hold.

"You'll be mimicking us," Bruce said. "Does anyone not want us to do this?" he said to the guests who had moved to give them some room.

"You two should get ready," Wendy said when no one nodded to that.

"You're sure we couldn't just watch you?" Beckett asked slightly uneasily as her husband put his hand on her back.

"If you want to go ahead but we're going to start," Wendy replied easily.

The song began; Castle recognizing it as the same song Jennifer and Derek had used; and he couldn't help saying to his wife, "Julia's not going to believe this."

"She won't believe I'm going to dance with you," Beckett said.

"Oh, don't be so chagrined," Castle teased her. When she punched him gently in the middle of the chest he said, "Let's face the music and dance?"

Rolling her eyes at that, since it was the title of the song, Beckett waited with him for the Murphys to get back to them to begin taking instruction. She was surprised to find that she enjoyed the dance, though she and her husband had a little trouble getting some of the steps at the end. Laughing when the song had ended she said to Castle, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah but if we ever learn to dance…" Castle said. He then thanked the Murphys with her as the next song had begun and they moved away to the edge of the room before he told her, "If we ever learn to dance that in a classroom setting I will definitely have to wear my brace." He saw that she was studying him and he hurried to tell her, "I'm fine but I could feel what that was going to do to me if I kept it up."

"You want to keep dancing?" Beckett asked him, wrapping her arms around his right.

"Sure," Castle replied. He smiled when she looked at him in confusion and told her, "I'm getting weak, I must need sustenance."

"There had to have been something in that coffee earlier," Beckett told him. "Come on, we'll get something," she told him with a sigh. She walked with him to the table again and they met the Reids there who were drinking champagne and coffee.

"You two move together well," Dale said. "I'm surprised you haven't learned to dance already."

"We leave it to Julia," Beckett said with a smile.

"Still, it looks like it's fun," Rowena told them. "And it would bring a couple closer I think."

"Keep them together too," Dale said. "And speaking of that…"

Watching the couple soon leave for the dance floor Beckett said, "They make a point."

'They do, we've talked about signing up for a class at that place on the edge of town," Rebecca said as she was walking up to them with David.

"Really?" Castle said, looking at his friend.

"What, you don't think I'd do it?" David asked. When his friend shook his head no he then rolled his eyes and told them, "Come on, it's time well spent with my wife and…"

Rebecca made an annoyed sound in the back of her throat and smacked her husband on the shoulder before saying, "Is there really that much of a perverted side to Ballroom dancing?"

'There better not be," Castle said quickly.

"There isn't," Beckett told him, rolling her eyes as she and Rebecca shared a look. "When is that class?" she said. She fought a smile; before either of the Fosters replied; as she could feel her husband's gaze on her and knew he wondered if she was serious.

"Well, we saw the notice for it in the magazine for the city," David told them. "Sign up is in January and the class starts in May if I remember correctly."

"You're right, it was May," Rebecca replied. "Are you thinking of joining?" she then said to Beckett, looking surprised.

"We may," she replied easily. "Oh for the love…" Beckett began as they were all looking at her in disbelief. "It's just a few classes and it would be something different," she said in slight exasperation. "And I'll think about it," she said firmly. "We'll decide once we get closer to January. Rick?"

"Yeah?" Castle asked, looking over at her.

"We're dancing," Beckett told him abruptly.

"BeforeyougoyoulookedlikeMariaandDerek!" David said in a rush. He laughed when the couple looked at him and clarified, "When you were doing that Quickstep."

"Thanks," Beckett called.

Castle echoed her as they went out to the dance floor, not surprised Beckett had demanded a dance since that song was a slower one again. He held her close against him then and pressed his cheek against hers as well before saying, "That you're serious about too?"

"I can feel it in Julia," Beckett began with, keeping her voice lower though they weren't surrounded by the other guests. "Every time she practices at home and she looks at us I know she wants us to learn. Not because she wants her parents to know what she does but because she thinks we would have fun together doing it."  
"It would keep us in love?" Castle asked her. When she nodded he said, "How much longer will you think about it?"

Smiling at that Beckett said, "We'll sign up but please don't make a big deal out of this."

"I won't," Castle promised. " _But until then… this is nice_."

" _It is_ ," Beckett murmured, trying to get closer to him though it mainly involved her cuddling against him more. When the song finished a slightly faster one began and they danced again to that one and she couldn't help laughing as he spun her a few times during the course of it until the music ceased and they did as well before moving to the side of the room for another break.

"How long do you want to stay?" Castle murmured to her after they'd turned back to those that were dancing.

Beckett wasn't surprised when she felt the way her husband was holding her, feeling the restraint in it as he pressed his lips against the side of her head. She smiled a little, but only briefly, and said, "Another hour?"

"Sure," Castle said, though that felt as if it were years instead of sixty minutes.

Glancing at him as she wasn't sure he'd been able to tell how forlorn his own tone was Beckett said, "Maybe a half hour."  
"Sure," Castle said again.

"Pervert," Beckett said, though it was spoken with a loving tone and a smile. She hugged him gently before they turned their attention back to the dance floor, waiting for the current song to finish before they would head out to dance themselves yet again.

* * *

"Thank you so much for the party tonight," Beckett said to the Kemps as she and Castle were preparing to leave a half hour later.

"And the fake case," Castle said. "In the context of us knowing now it was fake."

"Of course," John replied. "We'll see you in the morning if you'd like breakfast."

"We might be there," Beckett answered, knowing that her husband wanted her to decide that for them both. "We'll see in the morning."

"It was a long night," John said, nodding. "Goodnight."

Saying the same to the couple Castle and Beckett waved to the Fosters and Reids before they headed out into the dining room and to the stairs. They didn't say a word until they were inside their room with the door locked firmly behind them.

"So much for those hats," Castle commented, seeing them where they'd left them earlier on the table.

"Still," Beckett said. "I think these costumes worked out nicely."

"So now you don't mind it?" Castle asked her, looking at her appreciatively.

"I should tell you," Beckett said, taking a moment to think before she spoke to him. "I was sure you were going to think of Maria when you saw me. Yeah…" she added when she saw that her husband was looking at her chest.

"I've only seen her in dances," Castle said firmly as he looked up at her, walking to her until he was right in front of her. "You I've seen… many times."

"That's it?" Beckett asked in amusement when he didn't continue.

"I'm trying not to be too crude," Castle replied easily. "But I adore you and your body as well, plus there's the fact that I'm not in love with her. I know, a surprise, but I'm in love with you Kate."

Beckett wanted to say something to that but her husband was kissing her on the lips, crushing his own against hers as hard as he could. She moaned for a moment in pleasure as she could feel the way her lips were very quickly beginning to swell with the pressure, holding onto him as if for dear life as she could almost say she felt lightheaded. Finally they were parting and she said with a smile, "I'm in love with you too Rick." She felt his hands running up and down her back and she whispered, "Let me get out of this first okay?"

"We couldn't…" Castle began to say before trailing off. "No, it'll be a little weird if you didn't take that off before we start."

"You mean for Halloween?" Beckett asked him when he nodded she smiled and then leaned over, gently kissing him on the lips. "I'll be back okay?" She didn't stop smiling as he seemed to dumbly nod to her before she kissed him again and then slipped into the bathroom.

Watching her even though she wasn't there anymore Castle shook himself after a while and unbuttoned his jacket and vest before he realized the room was a little chilly. So he decided to prepare himself for his wife and hurry in building a fire and undressing down to his dress shirt and trousers before he got up on the bed. As he sat he hoped she would come out to him soon as his need for her began to rise as he recalled her in his arms with her lips beneath his while he waited impatiently.

"You surprise me," Beckett said when she stepped back out.

"I thought you forgot your robe?" Castle asked in surprise as he saw that she had it on.

Beckett merely smiled at that before she sat next to him and said, "I thought you'd be naked by now."

"It didn't feel right to get to that so quickly," Castle replied, scratching his cheek for a moment as he looked at her. "I was just thinking though, we've been together today… a lot."

"We took a nap," Beckett replied easily. She tried not to laugh as he looked to her with wide eyes and then said, "I'm surprised you're having doubts."

"No, not doubts," Castle replied. "I just want to make sure you're not coming into this because you feel like we should."

Shaking her head firmly Beckett then told him seriously, "I've never felt like that." She looked at him closely and asked, "Have you?"

"No," Castle replied in the same tone of voice that she'd used. He wrapped his arm around her and said, "I want to."

"So do I," Beckett assured him, pressing against him a little more securely. "But Rebecca was right."

"About what?" Castle asked, startled at that.

"I'm a little more appreciative right now that you're here with me to do this," Beckett said.

"Me too," Castle said as he looked into her eyes.

"You were worried?" Beckett asked, able to tell from his expression that he was recalling trying to look for her.

"Terrified," Castle replied. "But it didn't make all that much sense; you being taken; I think that's when I started to have my doubts. Though of course it took too long for me to figure things out."  
Beckett smiled and told him, "That's basically what they wanted."

"True," Castle replied. He then smiled back at her and said, "Still…"

Leaning back slightly Beckett took his kiss to her lips and wrapped her arms tightly around his neck as he slowly deepened it. She kept up with him for as long as she could until she had to end things to breathe. "Come here," she said, drawing him then on top of the bed.

Following her quickly Castle kissed her as soon as she had stopped, sitting up against the headboard. He ran his hand down her side and shuddered as he could tell that she was wearing something very thin beneath her robe. And though he wanted to discover what that was exactly; having already formed an idea in his mind as to what it was; he pulled back from her for a brief breath of air before he was descending again and kissing her slightly harder. He felt her hands on his cheeks and let that go on a little longer before slowly pulling away. "This…" he began to say.

"I know," Beckett replied with a smile as she caressed his face. She took his lips once more, surprised when that time he was very careful with her. She slid her arms around his neck again and parted her lips to his tongue, trying not to tremble too forcefully as her husband flicked it against her own before moving back. For a moment she wanted to comment on the fact that he was delaying things but knew it would be a waste of breath for her as she found it was something she didn't mind at all. So she took his next kiss, feeling that one a little more intense. As they continued to do so each kiss became more and more fervent until they were grasping onto each other tightly while their mouths only met for a few seconds before needing to breathe. "God… Rick," she breathed as he descended to her neck.

"I know I'll do better when we start," Castle said, feeling very uncomfortable still being dressed. "Why don't we now?" he asked as he finally pulled away from her.

Biting her lower lip for a moment Beckett grabbed the tie on her robe and pulled it apart for her husband to reveal the negligee she'd slipped into while getting out of her costume. "I'm going to guess by your reaction," she said, trying to sound like she was nonchalant but failing miserably as she could literally see his blue eyes darkening in desire. "That you don't mind."

"Why exactly would I mind?" Castle replied, looking up at her. Before she could answer that he was leaning over and kissing her as hard as he could while she threw her arms around his neck, holding onto him as tightly as possible until finally they needed to stop. "I'm sure that last night I showed my appreciation for this. And this morning too."

Smirking at that Beckett then said, "By getting it off of me."

"I can't help the fact it's covering you," Castle replied. "But since you mentioned that we'll take a little longer in getting it off this time."

Beckett wanted to protest that but she never got the chance as again her husband was pulling her into another kiss. She let herself be easily led into that and a second before she quickly lost count, only knowing the breaks they took in between before they were together again. She was startled at the difference in themselves from earlier that day and especially the night before but couldn't complain as even with just kissing him and embracing her husband she found herself pleasantly aroused and her entire body throbbing hard already. "It feels like last night was a week ago," she murmured to him as they relaxed for the moment.

"I know but luckily we won't have another case for a while and we can enjoy each other," Castle replied, smiling widely at her.

"What, consistently until the next one comes up?" Beckett asked jokingly.

"That would be awesome," Castle began to say. He took her light punch to his shoulder before then saying, "I didn't say it."

"No but I did because I knew you were thinking that," Beckett told him simply.

"You can't exactly blame me," Castle told her, looking down at her breasts that were somewhat visible under the see-through fabric that covered them. He reached up and very carefully cupped her right breast before he said, "Let me lay you down."

Beckett was a little startled at that but allowed her husband to do that, propped up on pillows before she watched him reaching up to her breast again. She became a little flustered when he stroked at it before cupping it from underneath. "I get it," she said finally after he'd gently run his fingertips around her nipple. "You like them."

"I enjoy them too," Castle replied easily. He then looked up at her and said, "But I'll stop."

"I don't want you to stop," Beckett protested. "I just want you to…"

"Play?" Castle asked when she trailed off, already aware of what she wanted to say but wouldn't let herself utter. She gave him a look but when there was no threat in it he leaned over, kissing her hard before soon pulling away. "Whatever you say love," he told her and with that he made her sit up again before he slid the straps of the negligee down past her shoulders before she slid her arms out of it.

As soon as he was finished Beckett reached up and started to unbutton his shirt, pulling it out from his trousers before their lips met again. When she was finished she watched him lean down to begin nuzzling her breasts, reaching up with his right hand at the same time. She closed her eyes tightly as the pleasure was swift to circulate through her body when he began to flick his tongue out to her nipple before she made him stop.

Castle was startled she would stop him then but seemed to read what she wanted when he looked into her eyes. He got up at the same time she did and together they got his shirt off before he watched her run her hands down his chest. His breathing became far heavier as she did that a few more times before he took her hands, kissing them gently before he got off the bed to discard the last of his clothing. When he got back on the bed with her he kissed her hard as he reached underneath the negligee to run his hands up her bare thighs.

Keeping her gaze on him Beckett only lost sight of it when her husband pulled the blue silk off of her body. When they were looking at each other again she murmured, "Happy?"

"Nearly," Castle replied. And with that he took her right hand, curling it around his erection. He didn't say a word, not wanting to guide her at that moment, and he was a little surprised when she stroked him only once before laying back for him as she took him by the hand. "Love," he nearly growled to her as he lay on top of her. Before she could respond he was reaching down and feeling in between her legs to make sure that she was ready for him. He wasn't too surprised to soon sense that she was; and felt as if she had been for some time; so he didn't waste any more before he brought her hand down with his own to help guide him inside of her.

Gasping out heavily as her husband then entered her body; Beckett held onto Castle as tightly as she could and whispered in his ear. "I'm not kidding," she said, not taken aback to see him looking to her to make sure she was serious.

Shaking his head as that wasn't why he'd done that Castle told her, "Whatever you want." He grit his teeth together when she then raised her legs and wrapped them around his waist, crossed at the ankles, before he gave the first thrust. He groaned as she let out a moan of pleasure and he kept going, moving slowly and carefully as he watched her.

Beckett could feel her husband's gaze on her and she reached up, sliding her hands over the back of his neck before she soon raked her nails over his scalp. "I… didn't think you'd want to do this," she confessed to him. "But I'm so glad… you did," she breathed out as his lips had gone down to her neck and were beginning to brush over her skin. She assumed that he would be gentle; following how their bodies were moving together; but very soon she was gasping in shock as his teeth proceeded to nibble at her pulse. Arching her back in response to the pleasure that caused she had to move her hands down to his back, not wanting to dig her nails too deeply into his scalp. It also helped serve as a distraction for her and she then moved her legs, something in her pushing her to do so.

A little distracted from her neck that he was going over from side to side Castle felt her feet pressing to his hips and he looked back to see that she was opening her legs as wide as they would go. Though he was going so slowly he could still feel the difference in that and felt himself going deeper within her as he shuddered in pleasure. He leaned down and kissed her hard, making it passionate after the first few seconds and delighting in the fact that she was eagerly responding to him. Their tongues dueling heavily he sped up but only so much in the fact that they could feel where they were coupled more directly. When he had to breathe after the second kiss that had followed the first he reached up for her breast and said, "I think I still need to show you."

It took a moment for Beckett to wade through the throbbing in her body to realize what he'd said and when she did she asked, "What?" But there was no verbal response, instead her husband was taking her right nipple with his lips and she was left to cry out as her sex pulsated in response to the pleasure that filled her breasts at that. She was a little afraid that they were going to be getting off way too quickly when she suddenly felt everything stopping as her husband ceased his movements but didn't stop at her chest at the same time.

Only when he realized that his wife was slightly laughing did Castle pull away from her to look at her, looking slightly startled. "What is it?" he asked.

"We're only making love, why are you stopping?" Beckett asked him, running her hand up and down the back of his neck.

"You were close," Castle replied. When she looked away from him he smiled and kissed her deeply before saying, "Don't worry, so was I."

"You're sure?" Beckett replied. Her husband's gaze was enough of an answer and in response she wrapped her legs around him tightly again before he was thrusting within her. She held onto him tightly with her arms as well and kissed him deeply before he moved to her neck again. "Not…" she began to say before a gasp was cutting her off. When she felt Castle at her breasts she had to wonder how he'd been able to guess what she hadn't said. But she wasn't about to bother him by asking that, feeling his mouth and tongue on her a little frantic. Her eyes closed tightly as he very soon suckled at her and she could feel his desire in the sensation. It made her tremble heavily under him and she bit at her lower lip as she realized that though they'd stopped her body was not easing up in what it was feeling.

Castle had no idea that he was going through the same as his wife, struggling with everything that he was feeling. She was tight around him, the heat an incredible addition to the very slight friction that was coming from them moving. He roamed over both her breasts for a little longer before he moved up to her lips. When she initiated it he grunted for a moment into her mouth before recovering and kissing her back. He felt her nails raking over his back and that nearly threw him off his rhythm before he recovered. He was tempted to stop them once more but decided that she wasn't going to let him do that if he even tried. He kissed her roughly when they'd parted to breathe at that point, plunging his tongue into her mouth hard. He was pleased to feel her tangling her tongue around his as they slipped into their duel. He could hear his heart beating furiously in his ears and he pulled away from her, breathing roughly as they stared into each other's eyes.

Beckett was unsure how long they were like that, just staring, but soon she watched him lean down to kiss around her upper body before she grasped the back of his head. Her back arched and hard as she broke finally, too much building up within her with each and every jolt his kisses provided and she cried out his name repeatedly. Her body was burning and that feeling began to intensify as she soon felt him joining her. She heard his name on her lips and she tried to hold him against her even more though that wasn't possible. She appreciated the pure joy in his voice though and when she felt herself calming down she still felt as if she were orgasming. That intensified as he gave her one hard thrust but soon stopped, breathing roughly against her neck as she gently stroked the back of his head.

"We… yeah, I'm glad you suggested this," Castle said when he felt able to speak again.

Smiling for a moment Beckett watched him pull away before saying, "I commanded it more."

"A little," Castle said. "I love how you did that while we were with everyone else in the ballroom."

"No one heard me," Beckett replied. She then leaned over to him and kissed him on the cheek before he carefully moved away from her. As soon as he was laying back she went with him and pressed against his side before he held her against him.

"Good thing they didn't," Castle replied. He ran his hand up and down her upper arm and said, "I wonder what causes it."

"What?" Beckett asked, looking at him in confusion.

"How we were earlier today," Castle said easily.

"How many times are you going to wonder about that?" Beckett asked in mock exasperation.

"Which means you do the same too," Castle told her, watching her raise her head to look down at him.

"And we've decided already," Beckett said pointedly. "That it's because we're addicted. So let's leave the subject alone and get some rest," she said before she lay back down.

"You're thinking about the ride tomorrow already," Castle stated as he wrapped his arm around her securely again.

"Does that really surprise you?" Beckett asked, looking up at him with a smile.

"Not too much," Castle said. He leaned over then until they could kiss and they did so briefly before he sat up a bit to grab the covers from the bottom of the bed. "I'll be glad to head back home," he said after they had settled down again.

"Me too," Beckett replied. "But everything surrounding the case was nice."

"It was, so we'll have stories to tell them," Castle said with a nod. "Next week; after Halloween; we should take them with us to the stables."

"When they hear about us riding tomorrow I'm sure Julia and Eliza will insist," Beckett said.

They were silent for a while until Castle turned to look at his wife and said, "You looked gorgeous tonight love."

"You didn't look that bad yourself Rick," Beckett said with a smile. "But next time we'll remember the hats."

Nodding in agreement Castle said, "I know Julia will help us out with that." He kissed her yet again but very gently and carefully before he pulled back and then told her, "I love you Kate."

"I love you too," Beckett said, brushing her lips to his. At that they relaxed and she found herself very quickly falling asleep, everything from that day making her fatigued as she was aware of Castle's hand stroking her hair while she nodded off.

Watching her as she soon fell asleep, Castle pressed a kiss to her forehead, continuing to watch her before he was sleeping. He held her close for as long as he could as he found himself very rapidly and gladly slipping into his dreams which more than naturally involved her.


	12. When I Get Home

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is the name of a song written by John Lennon and Paul McCartney, from The Beatles album A Hard Day's Night.

Running her fingertips as gently as she could over her husband's hairline Beckett smiled as the skin of his forehead jerked a little in response before he weakly reached up with his hand. "Rick," she said with a smile as she could tell that he was fighting waking up.

"What?" Castle asked groggily finally, awake but not wanting to open his eyes. When he didn't hear a reply to that he groaned and then opened his eyes to look at her. He studied her for a moment and then said, "Well if I have to wake up then at least it's while looking at you."

"Any reason why you're kissing my ass?" Beckett asked though she was smirking just slightly.

Reaching behind her then Castle carefully slid his hand down from her back to her ass and said, "Would you like me actually do that?"

"No," Beckett said so firmly that she wasn't surprised when her husband looked at her with wide eyes. She smiled and then leaned down saying, "Good morning," before she carefully kissed him on the lips.

"Morning love," Castle replied once they had parted. "Feel free to keep waking me up like that."

"I will," Beckett said. "But it's morning and the weather is great, I want to go."

"Okay," Castle said, looking over at the window and seeing that she was right. "We could stay here a little longer… just a bit."

"So for a short amount of time you're saying?" Beckett asked him.

"Yeah," Castle replied, reaching up to cup her cheek gently. He ran his thumb over her lower lip gently and watched her purse them both to kiss his fingertip. "What do you say?"

Beckett looked a little torn at that and she thought for a moment before she finally said, "Okay but nothing more than kissing."

"You have to let me at least touch you," Castle protested.

"Just my back," Beckett told him firmly before she was leaning over and kissing him on the lips firmly. She wasn't surprised when he was recovering rapidly and kissing her back, holding onto her firmly before they parted for a moment. "My back Castle," she told him in a mock stern tone of voice as his hand had gone back to her ass.

"Don't make me," Castle said in a whining tone of voice.

Rolling her eyes though she didn't mean it Beckett didn't say another word before they were kissing yet again. She moaned a little into his mouth as she felt his hand caressing her; going over her back and ass before starting all over again. She kept her eyes closed deeply and tried to remain where she was though that determination was thrown out the window when Castle flipped her around onto her back. She became lost as they proceeded to hungrily kiss and caress each other and it wasn't until he seemed to tear himself away from her that they stopped.

"I… I should get up," Castle said, breathing hard.

"But…" Beckett began, realizing then that her imagination hadn't been playing tricks on her and he was very much aroused. "Will you be okay?"

"I'm not sure, just let me get dressed," Castle said. He saw Beckett seemed to be hesitating and he kissed her briefly telling her, "I know you want to go for that ride and I do too."

Hearing the seriousness in his voice Beckett nodded and took his last kiss before he got up off her and she sighed, getting onto her stomach. She turned her head over towards the window and though she couldn't see out it she kept her eyes on it until she hear her husband coming out to her.

"Hey, you should get dressed," Castle told her, going around the bed and leaning over to kiss the back of her bare shoulder.

"I know," Beckett replied before she pushed herself up. She stood and looked around for her robe before her husband was handing it to her. She pulled it on and closed it quickly saying, "Are you okay?"

"Are you?" Castle asked, carefully pulling her hair out onto her shoulders. When she glanced at him he told her, "I know you weren't exactly unaffected." He watched her then stroll away from him and he sighed as he watched her go, not surprised she closed the bathroom door after her. He went to the closet and took out their suitcase, grabbing his pajamas to start folding them.

"So you may have been right," Beckett said as she stepped out, dressed. "But I wasn't as far gone as you."

"Who says I was?" Castle asked, kissing her cheek when she stood next to him. He saw she had her negligee and robe in her hands and watched as she moved his clothes he'd placed inside and said, "What happens when we get home and they want to join us while we unpack?"

"You'll be there helping me," Beckett said easily. "And you'll be able to provide a distraction."

"Will do," Castle said as he helped her pack the rest of the suitcase. Once his costume was on the top of everything else he closed it as he waited for Beckett to get her dress into its garment bag. "Ready?" he asked her.

"I am but we're coming back for this you know," Beckett told him as they took the case and bag out to the table.

"You don't want to go?" Castle asked her, sounding slightly surprised.

"We need breakfast," Beckett said. "And I did want to talk to David and Rebecca about our leaving for our ride."

"Think they'd want to join us?" Castle said as they walked together to the door.

"I think so," Beckett replied. She opened the door and they stepped out into the hall in time to see the Fosters at the top of the stairs.

"Morning," Rebecca said as quietly as she could. "You two are up early."

"There's a reason for that but we'll tell you that downstairs while we eat," Beckett replied.

The group headed down together to the dining room where they saw a small buffet set up and the Carters sitting at the table eating already. Filling their plates and getting some coffee they gathered at the end of the table where they'd sat the night before.

Eating in silence for a short time Castle spoke first and said, "We're leaving as soon as we finish here."

"So are we," David said easily. "Said our goodnights last night and everything."

"We did too," Castle said.

"We're mentioning that since we're going to head out to the stables once we get back home," Beckett said then, looking to Rebecca.

"It's a great day for it," the woman said with a nod. "So you'd like us to join you?"

"If you'd like," Beckett said.

"I don't know," David replied.

"You're right," Castle commented, knowing what he wanted to say. "We always end up riding separately when we go together like this."

"So you guys don't want us going together?" Rebecca asked them wryly.

"We should," David said with a slight shrug. "Nothing else better to do." He laughed as his wife pushed him over slightly and then said, "It'll be fun, we should really practice."

"Right you're playing next month again," Beckett said. She smiled at her husband and asked, "Nervous?"

"No," Castle said simply as he was bringing his mug of coffee up to his lips.

"We'll be doing good I think," David took up. "Dan and Charlie are ready to go and so are we."

"Hopefully you two will be there to cheer us on," Castle said as he looked at his wife then.

"I've thought it over," Beckett said. "And I think Rebecca and I have decided we'll go out to shop those days."

Rebecca couldn't help laughing at that and shook her head telling her friend, "I don't think that'll really work Kate, they know neither of us would really want to miss their games."

"It was worth a try," Beckett said with a shrug.

Sharing a brief laugh at that the four went back to their food and greeted some of the other couples that joined them. They spoke with the Pearsons and Greenleys when they sat near them until they finished eating.

"It was great to get to meet you," Helena said, standing as Castle, Beckett and the Fosters did so. "And to see you work though I wasn't supposed to be alive for that."

"We're just glad that you actually were," Castle commented.

"But she's right," Pearson said. "You two are good."

"Thank you," Beckett said.

"We're looking forward to your next book," Caroline said then. "Will you change it at all now you've gone through something similar?"

Since they'd mentioned the fact there would be murders at a party in their book Beckett said, "We might, we'll see once we get back to writing."

After a final goodbye Castle and Beckett sought out the Kemps, finding them in the kitchen as they helped their workers brew coffee and tea.

"You're heading out?" Beatrice asked.

"We are," Beckett said first. "But we wanted to say goodbye and thank you for the party."

"Thank you for investigating," John said, going over and shaking their hands.

"You'll see us soon," Castle said. "We'll want to use that free weekend."

"Maybe next year," Beckett replied.

"Great," John said, smiling widely at them. "If you decide to come on the Fourth of July we promise we won't have a game like this."

"We'd know already," Beckett said, seeing Castle nodding next to her. They said a final goodbye to the two and then headed back up to their room, grabbing their things before they left and then joined David and Rebecca in going down the stairs.

"So you're heading straight out right?" David asked as he was loading the trunk of his car.

"We are," Castle replied as Beckett was getting into the passenger seat. "Did you want to stop somewhere?" When his friend shook his head he then got into the car and said to his wife, "Did my mom answer my text?"

"They're having breakfast," Beckett said. "I think she's got her hands full, it was a short text."

"You don't think-" Castle said as he led the Fosters out to the road. He then said, "What if there _is_ a log."

"Then it's going to be further down the road," Beckett said in amusement as she watched him. "What were you going to say before?"

"Oh, that do you think the three of them are giving Mother a hard time?" Castle asked.

"No," Beckett said. "I hope you were joking because you know Julia better than that."

"I just wonder why she was so brief then," Castle said.

"Eliza probably made a mess and she needed to clean her up," Beckett said easily to that.

Castle nodded to that as he thought she might be right and he then focused on getting them to the highway so they could reach the stables at home.

* * *

"Hey Charlie," Beckett called to the stable owner when they approached him standing in front of one building. "Were you expecting us?"

"No, more surprised to see you; was told you were out," Charlie said easily.

"By who?" Castle said, confused.

"I told him," Beckett said, looking to him.

"Oh you didn't tell me that," Castle said.

"Any chance we can ride?" Rebecca then commented.

"Go ahead," Charlie said as he stepped out of the way. "Rode the trails earlier and they're in good condition even after that storm."

Stepping inside the stable Beckett froze and ended up staggering forward as her husband ran into her from behind. "Sorry," she told him hurriedly. She then turned back and said, "Girls!"

Looking over from the stall of their mother's horse that was sniffing at their hands Julia and Eliza gasped as they saw their parents before taking off for them. Mari was right behind, having seen her own mother and father as they stepped inside the building shortly after.

"What are you doing here?" Julia asked while she and her sister were hugging their parents as tightly as they could.

"What about you?" Beckett said in amusement though she was leaning over and kissing her cheek lovingly.

"Gram brought us," Julia said. "She said that we could come give Alex and Julius a treat since you weren't here."

"That was nice of you to do Mother," Castle said as Martha was walking up to them.

"Well they were playing with their hobby horses all through last night, so I thought why not?" she said easily to her son. "But you two, why are you here?"

"We wanted to have a ride together before heading back home," Beckett said, holding Eliza to her after taking her from Castle and kissing her lovingly as well. "Do you mind if we do that?"

"We're going to do that," David was saying to Mari. "Maybe you can ride ponies while you're waiting?"

"I don't know if I can help them doing that," Martha commented.

"I'll be there with them Martha," Charlie said as he had been with them the entire time. "I have to handle the ponies for them."

"Then we'll help you with that," Beckett said as she could see that all three girls looked eager at the prospect.

Castle went with his wife over to the ponies in the next stable over before they went into one of the corrals. Helping their daughters up he and David stepped back against the fence and watched as the three girls walked around. "So you'll stay with Eliza right?" he asked Charlie since he was there too.

"Don't worry," the man said simply. "I know she's just starting out so I'll walk with her… if you don't mind me doing that Kate."

Giving him a look Beckett handed him the reins she'd been holding and said, "You're going to give them a little lesson aren't you?"

"You helped out with Dreamer, so I feel it only fair," Charlie said. "Especially since you did such a great job with him."

"Thank you," Beckett said. "Listen to him Julia, Eliza."

"We will Mommy, don't worry," the little girl said quickly, waving at her parents.

"Mari-" Rebecca started to say.

"I'll be good Mommy," the little girl replied hurriedly.

After they'd said goodbye to their daughters Castle and Beckett led the way back to the stables to grab their own horses.

Looking over at his wife as she was tightening the cinch on Alex's saddle Castle commented, "Was he answering you this time around."

Giving him a playful glare Beckett said, "I don't expect an answer to what I'm saying." She would speak Irish to her horse while she saddled him, in an attempt to keep him calm and also to let him know that she was taking him for a ride. "Ready?" she asked as she was finished.

"Right behind you," Castle said, taking the reins of Julius who he'd been saddling.

"We'll follow but likely won't catch up until you two are back here," David said as they went after the two.

"Are we still playing?" Beckett asked before she mounted, seeing the girls and Mari looking over at them as they were still.

"I think they would want to watch us," Rebecca said, she and her husband on their horses. "See you."

"Bye," Castle called, waving to his and Beckett's daughters and his mother before he rode off with his wife down the trail. They started off at a gallop and he was easily able to catch up with her as they took the second longest trail at the fork down past the last corral before he looked at her. With a shared smile he and Beckett continued faster together riding as close as they possibly could for as long as possible until they needed to slow down, keeping silent as neither of them found a need to talk just yet.

When she felt they'd been going so fast for long enough Beckett pulled on the reins and slowed Alex down to a walk and looked to her husband. "Don't give me that look," she told him teasingly.

"What look?" Castle asked, pretending to be clueless.

Rolling her eyes Beckett said, "Every time we ride you watch me."

"It's creepy?" Castle said.

"No, just unsettling," Beckett replied. "Because you know how much I love to do this."

"True," Castle said. "But I do enjoy seeing you when we're out here." He paused then as he tried to think of the best way to explain himself before he then said, "You look very serious but I can tell how much of a thrill it is for you. That's why I can't figure out still why you sold your bike."

They were at a walk then so Beckett reached out to her husband and once they were holding hands she told him, "Granted a bike will go faster than a horse but I've always loved animals."

"You've always loved horses," Castle said. When she gave him a look he said, "So I would guess that you feel in the end you prefer the bond you have with Alex. Can't really have that kind of bond with your bike. You never named it?"

"No," Beckett said simply. "I know a lot of people will do that but… it's just a machine. I know it's a machine. But Alex I know is alive and deserves a name and for me to care for him."

"He's lucky in that," Castle said, nodding to her horse.

"Are you getting jealous of him again?" Beckett asked teasingly.

"No you treat me far different," Castle said easily. When he noticed that she was staring at him he asked, "What?"

"You're thinking about tonight aren't you," Beckett said.

Castle was relieved when they came up to the stream at that point in that trail and dismounted, watching the horses drink momentarily before he could change the subject. "We should do something fun."

Beckett was a little surprised at that and she glanced at him before saying, "Like what?"

"I would say something downtown but we went to that ceramic place not too long ago," Castle replied.

"And we're going to have too much stuff they paint there," Beckett replied. "We'll have to start easing up on trips. No I have a better idea. Why don't we just play with them?"

"Good idea," Castle said, nodding. "But for now we should head back to see them."

"After we play a quick game," Beckett said as they mounted their horses again. "Very quick."

"Lightspeed quick," Castle said. "Come on," he said when she gave him a brief look. "Don't tell me you weren't thinking the same."

Not replying to that Beckett started off again down the path and wasn't surprised when her husband very quickly caught up to her. She smiled at him before they continued; going at a gallop for as long as she thought was alright for their horses.

"I wonder," Castle said when they'd slowed down enough for him to speak. "What would they want to do?"

"I think they need to wait to be told we'll play with them," Beckett said, slight amusement in her voice.

"Are their costumes ready?" Castle asked, recalling suddenly there were only four days until Halloween.

"They are, your mom brought them with her so she was probably having them try them on to make any last adjustments," Beckett said.

"A little unfair we can't see them," Castle commented.

"We're well aware of what they'll look like," Beckett protested. "And we'll see them on Halloween, all night."

"Yeah I still think we should have had the party start an hour earlier," Castle said.

Rolling her eyes though she was smiling at the same time, Beckett said, "Four is a little early. Plus Julia has dance class that day."

"Only for a half hour," Castle replied. He couldn't help laugh when his wife gave him a look that time and he told her, "I'm kidding of course, I just wish it wasn't a school night."

"You're going to enjoy this party right?" Beckett asked.

Surprised since she'd never voiced that before Castle said, "You're worried I wouldn't?"

"I just remember your Halloween parties being more… grown up than this one will be," Beckett said.

"Did you never think of what I did when Alexis was younger? The girls' ages?" Castle pointed out.

"I assumed you didn't have parties? Just took her out to trick or treat," Beckett said.

"No I would have parties, but later… around seven so we could go out for two hours through the building and the one across the street," Castle replied. When she looked at him he told her, "They had great candy."

"So we're doing basically the same, just in reverse," Beckett said.

"No those parties I let Alexis stay at for a little before putting her to bed," Castle replied. "And only after she was upstairs did I set out punch, I was careful to not have any hard liquor. Of course there were two Halloweens when it was Friday and Saturday night so then she spent the night with friends and I was able to have a party more like the ones you've seen." He had to pull on the reins a little then as Julius was trying to turn to the right but once they were going forward again he was able to say, "Now though I'd love to have a party like this, since of course we're having our friends there and not just the girls' friends. I'm looking forward to it."

"Me too," Beckett said. She smiled when her husband glanced at her and then brought Alex to a stop, waiting for her husband to do the same and to circle back to her. "Before we focus on Julia and Eliza," she said, motioning him to her.

Though he had to stand up and lean over in his saddle Castle quickly went to his wife and kissed her gently on the lips before they pulled apart. "That'll do for now," he commented before they continued.

"For now?" Beckett said, one eyebrow slightly raised.

"I'm sure that doesn't surprise you," Castle said.

Shaking her head Beckett said, "We're almost there; don't think I'm going to sneak off to kiss you while we're home."

They continued on in silence before Castle said, "We didn't get much chance to do that while we were gone."

Smiling Beckett said, "I thought we'd gone for the party."

"Well, to me," Castle began, trying to be as serious as possible. He had to pause and smile as his wife laughed softly before he continued with, "Trips like that between us usually entails kissing… shaking hands…"

"We're alone Rick," Beckett told him teasingly. "You mean fuck me until you're exhausted."

Castle was a little startled before he smirked and said, "That was a nice beginning to the trip," preparing himself for a remark from his wife for that.

"It was," Beckett said easily, smiling as he glanced at her. "I enjoyed it too." And with that she set Alex off down the trail, hearing him very hastily moving to catch up with her, a smirk spreading across her face.

Castle wasn't surprised by what she'd said, more by her taking off without a word to him. He hurried to join her and once they were riding together he was tempted to speak but the sound of the hooves on the ground was too loud so he refrained. And since they reached the stables soon after that he decided to let the subject go, looking over to the corral where the girls still were. "So you guys had fun?" he said as he and Beckett came up alongside the fence.

"A lot," Julia said.

"Where are my mommy and daddy?" Mari asked as she and Julia got off of their ponies while Charlie was helping Eliza off.

"They're a little after us," Castle said, smiling as the stable owner came up to them and Eliza waved. "Have fun with your pony?" he asked the toddler.

"Yeah," Eliza said quickly. "I want to go with you Daddy."

"When you're older," Castle promised. "I'll take you on a ride."

"There they are," Julia said then as she heard the sound of hooves in the distance.

Climbing up on the fence Mari watched her parents riding in and waved to them before they slowed down and soon approached them. "Did you have a race?" she asked them when they were close.

"No," Rebecca replied with a smile. "Just stretching their legs. Do you want to watch us play?"

"Go," Martha said. "I'll bring them to the field."

Heading over to it together Beckett and Rebecca were left alone for a moment as their husbands were getting the mallets and ball for them to play with.

"You two were far behind," Beckett said to her friend. "And we even stopped twice."

"Not for that long," Rebecca said before she smiled. "We may have waited a little longer at the stream than usual. I'm surprised you two didn't take advantage of that."

"We wanted to get back to the girls," Beckett said.

"I know as soon as we finish this we're heading straight back home with Mari," Rebecca said when she saw their husbands walking out to them. "I miss Dani too."

"I don't blame you," Beckett said.

"What're you two doing after?" Rebecca asked before needing to speak to her husband's horse that she was holding by the reins. "If that's not me being a nosy neighbor."

"It's not," Beckett replied with a slight laugh. "We're likely just going to play with them," she said, nodding to her daughters.

"Are you guys ready?" Castle asked as he and David were passing the girls.

"Yeah I wanna see you play," Eliza said first.

"You will right now," Castle promised her. He then went into the field and took Julius from his wife. "How was he?" he asked before he mounted.

"Good," Beckett said simply, taking her mallet from David. "We were talking about you."

"What you and the horse?" Castle asked jokingly.

"Oh of course, he said you're a good hand with him but not to go too fast right now," Beckett said seriously before she gave him a smile.

"I won't love," Castle said in amusement, knowing that was her way of telling him to take it easy on his horse. "Ready?" he then called to David.

"Yeah Julia?" he said as he went over to Castle and Beckett's daughter. "Care to toss this in to us?"

"Sure," Julia said, knowing she'd been asked since she could throw the best out of the three of them. She stood a little high on the fence rail and threw in the ball, cheering her parents as Castle and David began to fight over the ball.

Eliza was crying out in joy as she watched her parents passing the ball back and forth before they scored first. She was a little surprised when David and Rebecca scored the next two times before they were soon stopping and riding over to them. "You don't win Mommy, Daddy," she said in protest.

"It's just for fun sweetie," Beckett said, handing her mallet to Charlie who'd come to watch them. "Come here."

Trying not to cry out too loudly and scare the horse Eliza waited until she was settled in front of her mother and watched as Julia went in front of Castle and Mari in front of her mother. "Thank you," she whispered.

"You're very welcome sweetie," Beckett replied, kissing her temple. "I missed you, I wasn't kidding."

"Me too," Eliza replied, nodding her head firmly. She smiled when her mother laughed softly and kissed her again before she watched them heading for the stables, holding the reins with her mother though Beckett had the control.

"Hold on," Castle said to Julia as he stopped in front of the stable. He dismounted and then helped her down, going over to Beckett to take Eliza for her.

While their daughters were with Mari and Martha, Castle and Beckett took their horses back to their stalls, rubbing them down and feeding them some oats. Stepping out to the middle of the building they met David and Rebecca, saying goodbye to them both before they went out to get their daughters.

"Bye, see you on Monday," Julia called to Mari as they were going to their cars.

"Bye it's almost Halloween remember!" the little girl said back before she got into her parents' car.

"Come on," Castle told Julia. "You want to go home right?"

"Yeah don't you want to see Macca?" Julia asked him.

"Of course," Castle replied before he saw she was sitting and had her seatbelt on. Closing the door he said to his wife, "Straight home?"

"Do we really need anything?" Beckett asked her mother in law who was about to get into the car Castle and Beckett he driven to the stables.

"No," Martha said. "The kitchen is still well stocked and I personally don't need anything."

"Then we'll head home," Castle replied before they got into the car at nearly the same time. He drove and when they reached the house he looked back as the girls were beginning to talk eagerly to one another. "How do you know we're going to play?" he asked. "I'm pretty tired and I think your mom and I need a nap."

"You need lunch first," Julia said firmly.

"And then play," Eliza finished as her sister was unbuckling the straps of her seat.

"And then play, okay, you got me," Castle said, smiling as the girls giggled at his tone.

"Right now though we're going to unpack," Beckett told them as she took Eliza's hand. "And then we'll have lunch."

Going inside the house together Macca barked a few times as he ran to them and jumped at them all, trying to lick their faces before he calmed down enough for them to continue.

"I'll take the girls," Martha said. "You two can go ahead and unpack while we wait."

Beckett smiled at the girls before she followed her husband upstairs and they went into their room. "So now you don't need to worry about that distraction," she told her husband with a smile.

"No but I get the feeling one of them or else both are going to make their way up here," Castle replied, setting the suitcase on the bed. Taking out his suit first he hurriedly hung it up and studied it saying, "I might have to iron this before the party."

"We'll have time," Beckett told him as she grabbed her negligee and swiftly put it away. "Since we're taking this week off."

"I'm still surprised you want to do that," Castle said as he followed her over to the closet with her dress in hand.

"We'd been writing solidly until Friday," Beckett said with a shrug. "A break will be nice." She was surprised when her husband didn't reply to that and eventually she looked at him, seeing him smiling. "What?" she said.

Walking over to her Castle waited until she was leaning against the shelves and said, "I never thought I'd hear you suggest that."

Giving him a look Beckett said, "I can't constantly write, it tires you out. Especially your brain."

"Now you know why I went after you," Castle replied, leaning in slightly closer to her.

"Every time?" Beckett asked in amusement.

"Well," Castle said, hesitating and pretending to think that over. "A few times I went for you but I needed a distraction." He wasn't surprised when her response to that was to grasp him by each cheek and pull him to her, kissing her as hard as he could as she was doing the same to him at the same time. His arms wrapped around her tightly to pull her close against his body and they continued in that manner for at least a few more minutes until he had to stop. "Oh," he said, though he was slightly breathless. "That'll be Julia."

"You called it," Beckett said to him as she saw he looked a little reluctantly to let her go. She then leaned over to whisper in his ear, " _You're forgetting about tonight_."

"I am," Castle said seriously nodding. He took his wife's soft laugh at that and kissed her gently before they let go of one another and headed out to the bedroom.

"Hi, can I come in?" Julia asked a little shyly, at the doorway peering in.

"Of course," Beckett said, holding her arms out to her once she was sitting on the end of the bed.

Julia smiled widely at her mother before she ran to her and threw her arms around her. "Did you have fun?" she asked them both.

"Very but we'll tell you about it during dinner," Beckett said. "How come you came up?"

The little girl said, "I wanted to see if I could see your costume."

"It's not that long until Halloween," Beckett told her.

"Your mom is very serious about that," Castle commented. "I'm surprised she even let me see it."

"She was pretty?" Julia asked.

"Extremely," Castle said. "Where's your sister?"

"She's still with Gram," Julia replied. "They're deciding what we'll play with you."

"Board games?" Castle replied.

"Maybe, I wasn't paying attention too much," Julia replied.

"How come?" Beckett asked her.

"I was wondering if I should come up here or not," the little girl replied. She was quiet for a moment and then said, "Could we go on a walk?"

"After lunch?" Beckett asked her. When she nodded she said, "If your sister needs to take a nap we'll wait until she's up, if not then we'll go."

"Thank you," Julia replied, sounding and looking eager. "Macca will come with us right?"

"Of course," Castle said. "I'm not really sure how we'll be able to go without him seeing us and chasing after us."

Julia giggled softly and then leaned against her mother saying, "Are you going to cook now?"

"We need to take a shower first," Beckett told her, kissing the top of her head. "We both smell like our horses."

"You should go down," Castle said, helping the little girl stand before he kissed her too, "Tell your sister and gram about the walk."

"Okay," Julia said, hugging him briefly. "I'm glad you're back."

"So are we," Beckett said, smiling after her. She watched her husband go to the door to close it behind their oldest and said as soon as it was locked, "Not yet."

"No you made that very, very clear to me love," Castle replied, following her into the bathroom before he locked the door. "But you wouldn't deny me just a touch."

Looking at him over her shoulder Beckett pulled off her blouse before she set it aside and began removing the rest of her clothes in a similar manner. Once she was naked she stepped into the shower, leaving Castle behind her to hurry and join her though he still had to remove his clothes. She wasn't surprised when he very rapidly followed and the smile that had formed on her face remained until he was with her, their lips meeting hungrily before they stepped under the rushing, steaming water.

* * *

Leaning against Macca as she was standing next to him Eliza said, "We get to go for a walk." She giggled when the puppy licked her cheek and told him, "You get to see the water."

"Are you waiting for him to answer you sweetie?" Beckett asked, stepping into the room.

"Yeah," Eliza said before she gave the Wolfhound a tight squeeze around the neck. That done she rushed to her mother and let herself be picked up, kissing her cheek lovingly. "Daddy?" she asked when she realized her mother was alone.

"With your sister and gram," Beckett said easily as she stepped out into the hall to see the kitchen. "They're getting lunch started."

"Gram goes out now," Eliza said as they were heading down to the others.

"She's right," Martha said as she soon noticed that her son and daughter in law were looking to her. "I have an invitation, I didn't want to leave today but I think I could take it since I will be here into next week."

"By all means," Beckett said.

"What she said," Castle added when his mother turned to him. "Who with?"

"A number of people, then-" Martha started to say.

"Spill Mother, what's going on," Castle said.

Looking at her family and seeing they all had varying degrees of a questioning look on their faces; Martha knew she wasn't going to be able to avoid answering. So she told them, "I've been asked to teach a series of classes at Julia's school."

"Why?" the little girl asked.

"The drama teacher at the high school was able to hire a special instructor but the only week I have open is Spring Break," Martha explained.

"Julia and Eliza's week?" Beckett asked since the high school had the week after the other two schools.

"That week," Martha replied. "Which is why they're discussing it even now."

"I think it's a great idea," Castle said. "The chance to teach outside of the city."

"Are you thinking of moving in with us Gram?" Julia asked suddenly, nearly blurting out the words.

"Not exactly darling," Martha said, cupping her cheek gently. "I just want the chance to attempt to teach outside the city."

"It also means you have a reputation as a good actress," Beckett pointed out. "Do you know the teacher?"

"No I have no idea who he is," Martha replied. "Josiah Wielding?"

"I've heard of him; two years ago when he got hired," Castle said.

"It was in the school newspaper they mail out," Beckett added.

"Well I'll be meeting him for lunch and he'll show me around the auditorium to give me an idea of how the classes will go," Martha told them. "The only thing is that I'll have to remain here if you plan on doing anything for Spring Break."

"We need to see about that still," Castle said.

"I think she's right," Beckett then said. "We would need to make plans. Unless…" she said, looking at her husband suspiciously.

"Do you have something already Daddy? Are we going somewhere?" Julia asked excitedly.

"Yeah Daddy, let's go!" Eliza cried, having been listening closely to everyone.

Laughing with the others Castle shook his head and said, "So you're not going to be with us for lunch?" directing that to his mother.

"No, or dinner, I've been invited out tonight," Martha said.

"You'll be here tomorrow for dinner," Julia said.

"And lunch as well though you'll be in school," Martha replied, nodding her head.

"Not me," Eliza said.

"Of course," Martha said. "But today is the only day I go out, I'll be with you the rest of the week."

"Good," Julia said as she and her sister hugged her tightly. "Have fun Gram."

"And good food Gram," Eliza added.

Laughing softly Martha kissed her granddaughters before saying, "I will, have fun with your parents girls."

When Martha had left Beckett went to her husband on the other side of the island and asked, "What'll we be having?"

"I was thinking peanut butter and jelly with some clam chowder," Castle told her. When their youngest made an mmm sound he laughed and said, "One of them approves of it."

"I do too," Julia said quickly.

"Okay so I guess I'll get started," Castle said.

"I'll get the sandwiches," Beckett told him. "Once I get them set."

Castle was going to move to help her but she pressed her hand against his chest and he turned to the fridge to begin with the soup. As he was working though he couldn't help watch as his wife was getting their daughters onto the chairs at the island and setting down paper and colored pencils in front of them. He had to turn his attention to the stove at that moment but could hear their daughters talking as they colored, Beckett soon joining them as she started preparing the sandwiches.

"So what did you do last night?" Beckett asked her daughters as she was spreading peanut butter over one slice of bread. "After we spoke to you the second time last night."

"We just played board games," Julia answered. "Until we went to bed. And today while we ate breakfast we begged Gram to go see the horses. Did she know you were going?"

"No we never mentioned it," Beckett replied.

"I just texted to see what you were doing," Castle replied. "So it was a surprise for us too to see you there. Though how did we not recognize the car love?"

"Who knows," Beckett said a little absently as she was cutting the crusts off a sandwich. "But it doesn't matter; in the end we saw them."

"Good thing you went to our horses," Castle told them seriously.

"What other horses were we going to see?" Julia asked.

"Who knows," Castle replied. "Ready?" he asked his wife.  
"Now I am," Beckett said as she set the last sandwich on the last plate. She went around to help Eliza and Julia down before she handed them their plates. After getting hers and Castle's down on the table she went over to him and took the first two bowls which were for the girls.

With their drinks on the table last Castle sat with the others and started to eat before he said, "What do you think?"

"It's good," Beckett assured him as they were eating the soup first.

"Gram wanted this first," Eliza told them.

"She did?" Castle asked.

"Yeah we said that we should have tomato soup," Julia said with a nod.

"And since you know that she can make grilled cheese…" Castle said before trailing off, since that was about the only thing his mother could make fairly well.

"Yeah it was good," Julia said, seeing her sister nodding in agreement. "What about tonight?"

"You're hungry already," Castle said with a groan. He smiled when both girls laughed and he then told them, "We'll do something special for dinner."

"You don't tell Mommy," Eliza said warningly. She laughed when the other members of her family did so as well and she then listened as her sister made suggestions for their dinner, wondering what they would end up doing as she found herself more and more eager for it with everything Julia said.

* * *

Whistling for Macca to come back to them from where he was standing at the shore Beckett grabbed the dog and put his leash on him. "Good luck love," she told her husband as she handed over the end of the leash.

"Thanks, he's not too out of control," Castle said. "Where are we going?"

"To the entrance to the street," Beckett told him. "We're not going to the playground though," she told the girls. "Everything's probably going to be wet so we'll go back when things dry out."

"Halloween?" Eliza asked.

"You want to go play on Halloween?" Julia said to her sister in surprise.

"No, rain," Eliza replied seriously, shaking her head.

"It's not supposed to rain then," Castle told them, having to speak a little loudly as the girls were with Macca at the end of the leash that he'd let run out all the way since he could.

"You'll still be able to trick or treat," Beckett said to them with a smile. She wasn't surprised when both girls smiled back at her before turning ahead of them and when they had she slipped her arm through her husband's. "I'm surprised that question didn't come from you," she told her husband.

"Despite what you may think, the girls won't be my candy beard," Castle said.

"Did you ask them?" Beckett laughed.

"I may have," Castle said.

"We told him he had to get his own candy," Julia called back as she'd heard what they'd been saying.

"We can share," Eliza said.

"And with you too Mommy," Julia added.

"Thank you girls," Beckett replied. When they'd walked a little further down the beach she murmured to her husband, "Did you think of what to do for dinner?"

"I was hoping you had," Castle said, since by then it was later in the afternoon as they'd had to let Eliza take a nap.

"Well there's anywhere in town, ordering in…" Beckett sighed.

"I was feeling pizza," Castle said. "What about the parlor?"

"They would enjoy that," Beckett said, looking ahead at them. She smiled and said, "We'll play games?"

"You know I can't resist doing that," Castle said. "But you will too."

"Of course," Beckett said. She then squeezed the upper part of his arm that her hand was holding onto and said, "I'm looking forward to that."

"Yeah our night's going to be a lot more fun this time," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when she laughed and then nodded in agreement before they shared a brief kiss and turned ahead as they watched their daughters turn to the right when they reached the street entrance to the beach.

Walking through the neighborhood as they headed back home Julia pointed to some of the houses that had been decorated for the holiday, which was most of them. She smiled at her little sister's awe though some were the same as they'd been the year before. She knew that Eliza couldn't remember and it was also going to be the first year that her sister would be allowed to trick or treat for as long as she would; having only done so for about an hour her very first year the previous one before going home with Jim. "It's going to be fun," she told her. "This year you can walk with me."

"And Daddy?" Eliza asked. "Mommy?"

"Well, no, you'll be with me, Mari, Dawn, Tracey and Dani too maybe," Julia said. Since they were closer to their parents she said to them, "Will she go too?"

"Not this year," Beckett answered since she'd asked Rebecca that already. "She's a little young for candy still so she'll stay with us while we let you go to the front door."

"That is good," Eliza said. "No Meanies."

"She'll be a good Meanie," Julia corrected her. "She'll be after the roses come from you."

"I am Jeremy," Eliza said happily.

"You will be," Castle agreed. "I wish we could see that costume."

"You will Daddy," Julia said firmly. "Look, here's the big monster party house," she then told her sister, pointing to a large Queen Anne house that had fringed black plastic over the gate in front of it.

"Bad monsters?" Eliza asked her little sister with wide eyes.

"No, it's just little…" Julia started to say before she looked at their parents.

"Scenes," Castle supplied.

"Those, they're fun to walk through," Julia said. "We can go this year right?"

"We can but let's keep going since we're not going to see anything now," Beckett told them.

The girls soon started to walk again until they had reached their home, watching as Castle opened the gate for them. Since Julia had already unclasped Macca from his leash, they ran after him as he rushed for the front door.

"Stay Macca," Eliza said to the dog sternly as he was sitting down.

"He's not going anywhere, don't worry," Castle said, getting the house key from his coat pocket.

"The fact that he ran to the door is a good thing," Beckett commented.

"He's hungry?" Julia asked.

"Are you two?" Beckett said as Castle pushed in the door to let everyone in. Looking at her watch she saw that it was nearing dinner time and said, "Let me answer my own question; you are."

"A little Mommy," Eliza told her softly.

"Okay, let's wash up and change so we can go," Beckett told them.

"Go where?" Julia asked interestedly.

"The pizza parlor," Castle told them. He wasn't surprised when the girls cried out and said, "But not yet, you heard what your mom said. Who're you taking?"

"I'll take Julia," Beckett replied. "We'll meet you back down here," Beckett told him. She took the little girl's hand and they headed up the stairs first before the other two followed them.

"How come we're going there?" Julia asked her mother after she'd washed her hands and they were standing at the closet together to see the shirt she would pick out to wear.

"Your daddy and I really want to play with you," Beckett told her. "This one?"

"No thank you," Julia said, shaking her head. "I want to wear this one if I can."

Taking down the blue t-shirt, Beckett wasn't surprised when it had a picture of the cover of the album _London Town_. "Your sister reminded you of that?" she asked as she handed it to her after taking it off the hanger.

"When are we talking to Alexis," Julia asked after pulling the shirt on.

Knocking on the wall outside Castle called, "I can answer that question if you'll let us in." Eliza ran into the room at that moment and he then said, "Okay, me in."

"Come in Rick," Beckett said, laughing slightly before he walked inside.

After he'd done so Castle went straight to his wife and kissed her, keeping it very quick but a little rough for the time they were together before he pulled away. "Sorry, just had to do that," he told her. He looked at their daughters, seeing they were smiling, and he told them, "We'll talk to your big sister before we leave."

"Right now?" Julia asked eagerly.

"Right now," Castle told them, looking at his watch. He went to pick up Eliza as Beckett and Julia followed them downstairs to the family room. Setting down the toddler with a kiss he went over to the TV and started getting it ready before Alexis was soon appearing on the screen to them.

"Hey everyone," the young woman said with a smile as she saw her family.

"Hi 'lexis!" the girls were crying at nearly the same time, waving at her a little frantically.

"You're back at the townhouse?" Castle asked, looking at the background.

"I am, we got back here in Oxford at… three," Alexis replied. "And it looks like you're back too."

"We left a little early; after breakfast," Beckett answered. "How was your weekend?"

"Fun, I went riding with Louis again," Alexis said, smiling.

"Mommy and Daddy did too," Eliza told her.

"Did you get to ride?" Alexis asked her sisters.

Nodding Julia proceeded to tell her all about their time riding the ponies while their parents were doing the same, Eliza adding a few comments here and there. "It was a lot of fun. I asked if we could go on mares but Charlie said we should stay on the ponies since Lizzy needs to too."

"Good idea," Beckett said, smiling as the girls glanced back at her with wide smiles.

"You'll be grown up enough soon for mares Lizzy," Alexis said when they'd turned to her.

"Did your gram tell you where she was?" Castle asked her at a pause in the conversation.

"She did and that should be nice," Alexis replied. "Though I'll miss her during Spring Break."

"Since you bring that up," Castle said. There he paused and then pretended to jump when the girls turned to look at him. "Yikes, you two scare me sometimes." He smiled when they laughed at that and he then said, "I have some news about our Spring Break."

"That's a long time away Daddy," Julia said. "And you said you don't know."

Since the little girl was looking at her Beckett then said, "Four months more or less."

"A long time," Julia said again.

"It is but sometimes it's a good idea to plan ahead," Castle told her firmly.

"What do you have in mind Rick," Beckett stated.

"Japan," Castle said simply.

"Really?" Alexis asked, surprised to see her stepmother looked startled.

"Really, we'll travel throughout the entire country and they may have to miss a bit of school," Castle said slowly.

"Before the beginning of it or after?" Beckett replied.

"Before but I checked the student handbook the girls got at the beginning of the year," Castle said hurriedly. "And they're allowed to miss if we have permission from their teachers."

Glancing at the girls Beckett couldn't help smile as she saw that they were looking to her hopefully, even Alexis and Castle were. "We'll go," she said firmly. "I would love to see Japan too."

After she and her sisters had expressed their excitement verbally Eliza tugged her sister's sleeve and asked, "Do we go see George?"

"No that's just where he had his concert," Julia said. "And the Beatles went there and Paul has been too."

"We'll have other things to see," Castle said with a smile.

"Will we be there for your birthdays?" Alexis asked.

"We will," Castle said with a nod.

"Are we doing anything special?" Beckett asked him.

"Oh… things," Castle said, waving his hand.

"Say Daddy," Eliza said.

Since everyone was looking at him at that moment Castle caved in and said, "We'll be at Tokyo Disney. Both parks."

"Disneyland!" the girls said at the same time.

"In Tokyo," Alexis said.

"Have you been to Japan Alexis?" Beckett asked her stepdaughter.

"Just Tokyo and Mt. Fuji," the young woman replied. "It was fun but a while ago."

"So you don't mind going there?" Castle asked his wife before he noticed their daughters were waving their hands in the air.

"No what is it?" Beckett said, turning to them.

"What's the other park?" Julia asked.

"Tokyo DisneySea," Castle told them. "I haven't heard much about it but it gets a lot of visitors."

"Have you talked to my dad about going?" Beckett asked.

"He can't get the time off," Castle said regretfully. "Not if he wants to join us in the summer in Ireland."

"We're going to Ireland?" Julia asked excitedly.

"Remember we're having the wedding there," Beckett said. "You want to go somewhere else?"

"No I just didn't know," Julia replied.

"I don't," Eliza added.

"Didn't," Castle corrected. "Anyways I called Skye to get advice on airlines out to Tokyo and it turns out the McDouglases are heading to Japan too."

"Their daughters' Spring Break is at the same time?" Beckett asked.

"It is and Skye offered to show us around some places if you want to share the vacation with them," Castle said.

"I do!" Julia said. "Remember Marie and Kath?" she said to her little sister.

"Oh, they come with us?" Eliza said. When she nodded she said, "Yeah and you too 'lexis."

"I will and it'll be interesting to spend time with them again," Alexis replied. "Funny if they go to the Disney parks with us."

Since his daughter was looking at her Castle smiled and said, "Yep Skye and Mary have been there but they want to take their daughters so it'll be their first time too." He then paused and said, "But it's just going to be the four of them and us five."

"What you're leaving me with the girls?" Alexis asked teasingly. "The whole trip?"

"No but there might be times when we…" Castle started to say. "Not all the time, but-"

"Dad it's alright and I've spent time with Marie and Kath before," Alexis said. "And my little sisters too. And they're not too bad to babysit. So I'll be fine if you want to split up when we're at different places."

"Okay then I just need to get a few last minute things set and we'll be heading to Japan," Castle said.

"And now that that's ready, tell me all about your weekend," Alexis said, looking at her father and stepmother that time.

"I think we should," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when Castle nodded; as they'd spent the drive to the stables discussing what to say; and she began with their arrival.

"It was really like Clue?" Julia asked in amazement when her parents had finished relating what had happened the night before.

"It was except we didn't know about it," Castle replied.

"I'm glad you're okay," Alexis said.

"We were never in danger," Beckett assured her. "Though of course we didn't know that at the time."

"It seems ironic," Alexis said. "You dressed as Bonnie and Clyde, solving a case. I know Dad, they were robbers."

"Not Mommy and Daddy," Eliza said firmly.

"We weren't," Beckett said with a smile. "Luckily everything's okay and the owners know now to tell the guests ahead of time. So after we knew it was a fun weekend."

"I think we should let you go," Castle said. "You have classes tomorrow don't you?"

"I do but I loved getting caught up," Alexis told them. "We'll talk soon okay? I love you Julia, Eliza."

"Love you 'lexis," the girls said at the same time, waving to her.

"See you Dad, Kate," Alexis said.

"Take care Alexis," Beckett said after her husband had said a goodnight to her. When the connection was hung up on the young woman's end she smiled at the girls and said, "We have time before Japan."

"Yeah there's Christmas and Thanksgiving," Julia said to her little sister seriously.

"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding her head. "And dinner?"

Laughing Castle and Beckett got their daughters out to the car and they drove over to the pizza parlor which wasn't too crowded, sitting together at a booth a little away from the games.

"Girls," Beckett said in a slightly warning tone of voice as they had been trying to look over the booth. "You'll play after we eat okay?"

"Daddy let us play before," Eliza said, before giggling heavily as he looked to her with wide eyes.

"We weren't supposed to say Lizzy," Julia told her sister in a loud whisper, smiling at her father.

"Oh don't worry," Beckett said. "I already knew your daddy did that."

"And you don't mind?" Castle asked, looking at her from across the table.

"What makes you think I haven't done the same with them when we've been alone here?" Beckett asked, raising her eyebrow slightly.

"We didn't play for long," Julia said as her sister nodded next to Castle. "And we didn't do that with Daddy either."

"I know," Beckett said, smiling at her husband. She watched him leave to grab their pizza and when she was alone with their daughters said, "Think about what you want to play after you finish eating."

Giggling with Julia, Eliza said, "We will eat Mommy."

"I hope so," Castle said, setting down their food. "Otherwise I'm taking these for myself."

"Have to share Daddy," Eliza said seriously before she smiled.

"I will," Castle said, getting a slice onto her plate.

After Beckett had given her a slice as well, Julia said, "Can we ask about Japan?"

"Sure, go ahead," Castle said. "Though I don't know how much I'll be able to answer, I don't have the travel book I got on me."

"How far north are we going?" Julia asked.

"North," Castle replied. He laughed slightly when she gave him a look and said, "I'll look at the book when we get home to check."

"Are you happy we're gonna see Skye again?" Julia then asked her mother.

"Of course," Beckett said, setting down her glass. "We haven't seen her since June. And I don't know why I didn't think of this before but she does know Japanese. So it'll be a help over there when we encounter people that don't know English."

"I had the same thought," Castle said. "And she said she'd teach us a little."

"Does Mary know it?" Beckett asked.

"As much as Skye though she's not as advanced as her, there's an area in LA called Little Tokyo and they practice there," Castle said. "Like they practice their Mandarin in Chinatown."

"I would imagine that she practices wherever she can at home," Beckett said.

"Okay do you mind if I bring the conversation back to Halloween?" Castle asked.

"Yeah," Julia said. "Why?"

"You don't want to wear your costumes to school?" Castle said.

"They're wearing their dresses Rick, I think they'll be more comfortable for the day in those," Beckett answered for them.

"Will they be able to walk around?" Castle asked.

"Yes and they wanted to wear their dresses anyway," Beckett replied.

"We wanted to wait as long as we could so you would wait," Julia said teasingly.

"I figured," Castle said, making a slight face at her.

Beckett shook her head, with a slight smile on her face, and she asked Julia about what she would be doing that week in school. They went through the rest of the meal talking with the girls about that week, mainly the party they were going to throw, until they had finished and she said, "We should go so we have time to play something."

Hurrying to her mother once she was standing Eliza took her hand before they walked with Castle and Julia to get some quarters. "Play with me Mommy?" she asked, pointing to the claw game.

"Why don't we play something else tonight?" Beckett said gently. "Next time we come we'll play okay?"

"Kay," Eliza said though she was looking back at the same where another child was beginning to play.

"Play the skeeball with us Lizzy," Julia said then, getting her attention. She and her sister went to the end of one of the games and she put in a quarter saying, "You have to throw too."

"Oh we do?" Castle asked.

"Just one," Eliza said, waiting for the balls to travel down to them. She took the first one from her sister and threw it, though it didn't make it all the way up the ramp. She giggled at that and then let her sister take it, allowing her to take that turn.

"A little harder Eliza," Beckett told her. "As much as you can."

Nodding the toddler stuck her tongue out of the side of her mouth and then rolled it, crying out when the ball managed to get up enough to get in the gutter below the rings. "I never threw there before," she told her parents.

"Not bad," Castle said, ruffling her hair before she giggled heavily and then took his hand.

After they had all thrown at least once Julia and Eliza took their parents to the whack a mole game where they took turns playing. Spending the rest of their quarters on the skeeball game the girls reluctantly let Castle and Beckett lead them out to take them back home. They spent the drive home talking together in the backseat about what they'd played before falling silent as they neared home.

"Wow we can just put them to bed love," Castle said as he pulled into the garage. "They're asleep already."

"No we aren't," Julia said quickly, unbuckling her seatbelt before helping her sister from her seat. "We want to play."

"Wait for us to get inside," Beckett said as Eliza was jumping up and down. She led the toddler inside, not surprised when Macca ran to them, nearly bowling into Eliza if she hadn't grabbed her daughter in time.

"Oh Macca! Are you okay?" Julia asked as the Wolfhound slipped on the wood floor. She helped him back up; though that only entailed placing her hand on his neck; and then hugged him tightly.

"He's fine," Castle said, scratching behind the dog's ears. "Let's get your things off so we can play."

Julia nodded and watched the dog until she judged he was okay and got her coat off which her father hung in the entry. "We want to play one thing," she then said, looking at her little sister.

Beckett was amused when Eliza nodded her head firmly and she then asked, "What is it?"

"Wild dog," Julia said. "We haven't played that in a very long time."

"Sure," Castle replied. He wasn't surprised to see his wife looking at him and he shook his head before going to her to murmur in her ear.

Beckett wasn't all that relieved to find out that her husband was already wearing his knee brace and she asked him softly, taking his hand, "Are you okay?"

"Fine, running around the woods was a little bit much for it last night," Castle said reassuringly before he kissed her on the lips. "Okay," he said after squeezing Beckett's hand tightly and then clapping his hands together. "Ready?"

"Is it okay Mommy?" Julia asked, feeling her sister's hand squeezing her arm.

"He's alright girls," Beckett said, knowing they must have understood that she was concerned for their father though they hadn't heard her speaking. "And I would like to see this game; I never have before; just at the end."

"Then you better sit on the couch with Macca love," Castle told her. "He doesn't really like me doing this."

"He wants to protect us," Julia said.

"Then he's a good dog but I'll keep him here," Beckett replied, going over to the couch before sitting with the Wolfhound laying next to her.

"Ready?" Castle asked again. When the girls nodded he ran his fingers through his hair, hearing his wife laughing softly at the sight of him trying to make his hair stand on end. "It makes it more believable," he told her.

"It does," Beckett replied. " _When we're alone_?" she then said.

Castle opened his mouth and then smiled at her before he got down on his hands and knees. "Okay, last time, good dog or wild?" he asked the girls.

Beckett looked on as the girls said at the same time, "Wild!" and then were suddenly squealing as their father jumped after them. She placed her hand on Macca's neck, making him calm down as she watched with a smile while her husband chased their daughters around the couch and to the different corners.

Standing underneath the TV Eliza was holding on tightly to her sister while Castle was approaching them, mimicking a growl. She let out a cry and then ran around him and left Julia behind, going to her mother and getting on her knees to wrap her arms around Beckett's legs.

"That's not fair, you can't use Mommy as a shield," Julia said. She then shrieked before laughter ripped out of her as her father pretended to claw at her. "Okay, you got me," she said with a smile. "Now what?"

"Kiss him," Eliza said.

"That fixes him?" Beckett asked, picking up her youngest.

"It helps," Castle said at the same time Julia was kissing his cheek. "See?" he asked. He then went over to the couch and said, "You too sweetheart."

Throwing her arms around his neck Eliza gave him a loud smacking kiss before saying, "Thank you Daddy."

"For playing?" Castle asked. When she nodded he smiled and kissed her back saying, "You're welcome." He was surprised when his wife pulled on the end of his shirt sleeve before he leaned over. They shared a quick kiss before he said, "Now I know I'm alright."

"You are," Beckett said simply before she gently kissed him again. "Time for bed though," she said, turning with him at the same time to look at their youngest.

"No!" Eliza said immediately in protest.

Neither Castle or Beckett said anything to that and instead simply went upstairs to her room as Julia and Macca followed them up.

When she was set down on her bed, dressed and ready to sleep, Eliza sighed and said, "I don't wanna."

"We know," Castle said as Julia climbed up onto the bed to join her sister. "But you do have school and you need some rest."  
"And we have Halloween," Julia said to the toddler as they hugged. "We're getting closer."

Eliza smiled and clapped her hands together before she yawned widely and then said, "Night Jules love you."

"I love you too Lizzy, see you in the morning," Julia told her before she slid down off the bed.

"I love you Eliza," Castle said, leaning over and kissing her forehead before they shared a kiss. "Thank you for letting me be the wild dog this time."  
"Welcome," Eliza said sleepily. "Love you too Daddy."

After kissing her again Castle stood up and waited with Julia closer to the door as they watched Beckett sit on the edge of the bed.

"We'll see you in the morning sweetie," Beckett said, smoothing her hair back tenderly. "I love you Eliza, goodnight."

"Night Mommy I love you, lots," Eliza said before they shared a kiss. She lay back at her mother's direction and held her stuffed horse to her as she felt the warmth of the covers. She closed her eyes tightly, unable to keep them open before she very quickly began to nod off.

Since it was later than normal Julia couldn't really complain when her parents led her to her room next door. "Could we talk?" she asked. "Before I need to go to bed."

"Why don't you do that?" Castle said hurriedly. "I forgot the book."

Beckett was going to protest that but her husband swept out of the room before she could do so. She sighed and said to her daughter, "He's excited about Japan."

"Me too," Julia replied, smiling as she got onto her bed since she had already gotten ready. "You still got to dance right?"

"After we figured out the case we did," Beckett replied. She laughed softly and when her daughter asked what was wrong she told her, "I just remembered we never danced with anyone else."

"Oh yeah, we never did," Castle replied, stepping inside then. "Funny, though I don't think they minded."

"Nobody tried to ask you?" Julia said.

"No we all just wanted to spend time with our spouses," Castle said. "Oh, we almost forgot to tell her what we learned."

Turning to their daughter Beckett smiled at the little girl who was looking at them in confusion and then said, "There was a couple there, dancing by us, and they had their own dance studio."

"That's cool," Julia said with a smile.

"They taught us a little of the Quickstep," Beckett continued.

Pretending to jump when Julia let out a cry of pleasure Castle said, "Well… I expected that."

"You really did?" Julia asked her mother.

"I love how she asks me," Beckett said with a smile to her husband. "We did," she told their daughter. "It wasn't that complicated, about all we can do is skip."

"That's a good start," Julia said seriously. "I'm so glad you did," she said, hugging her as tightly as she could.

"Would you want us to show you what we learned?" Castle asked her.

"Yeah but not now 'cause Eliza's asleep," Julia answered. "Maybe when you're in your costumes."

"Maybe," Beckett replied. She held out her hand to her husband and took the book he was holding before she began to look through it with him and Julia.

"It looks so pretty," Julia replied.  
"How is it going to be weather wise?" Beckett asked.

"When we go up north, it'll be cold," Castle said. "But I'm hoping down south it'll be slightly warmer. That just gives us the chance to go to the spa next to the amusement park." When he saw that both his wife and daughter were looking at him he smiled saying, "We're going to check out one more park but I'm not sure about the spa. Okay?"

"Yes," Beckett said, looking at Julia who was smiling at that. When her husband kissed her on the cheek she looked at him and said, "What?"

"There are some great roller coasters there," Castle said.

Unable to help smiling at the enthusiasm in her husband's voice at that Beckett squeezed his hand and said, "You're lucky I don't mind them."

"I know," Castle said.

"Can I go on one with you?" Julia asked, still smiling as she was watching them.

"Sure, if you meet the height requirement of course," Castle replied. "And if you want to too."

Beckett gave him a glance and then said, "For now though."

Giving the biggest, suffering sigh that she could Julia giggled as her father narrowed his eyes at her and said, "I want to stay up."

"You'll stay up a little later on Halloween," Beckett told her firmly. "For now, go to bed."

"But I am!" Julia said before she laughed when her mother tickled her gently.

"Okay come on," Beckett said once she had stopped. She got up and stepped aside to allow her husband to help their daughter tuck her legs under the covers after she had said goodnight to Macca at the end of her bed.

"Night Daddy," Julia said before hugging him tightly around the neck. "I love you and I'm so glad you're home still."

"I am too," Castle replied. "Love you."

After he had shared a kiss with Julia, Beckett stepped forward and kissed her as well before embracing her. "I'm glad to be back and I love you so much."

"Love you too Mommy," Julia murmured, pressing as close to her as she could. She felt a strong sense of safety in her arms and though she had been fine with their trip she felt better with them back.

" _Come on, under the covers_ ," Beckett said in Irish once she and her daughter had parted. She pressed her lips to the little girl's forehead before letting her lay down and tucking her in.

Taking Beckett's hand as they walked to the doorway Castle turned off the lights before they turned to watch their oldest. Since Julia had her eyes closed they left, stepping over to Eliza's room to check on her before he then rushed his wife over to their bedroom before he closed and locked the door behind them.

"What's wrong with you?" Beckett asked, though her tone was more of an amused one.

"I couldn't help it," Castle said seriously. "And you owe me."

"I don't owe you anything," Beckett said jokingly. She gasped when he grabbed her desperately and when he began to kiss her in the same way she couldn't really blame him for acting as he was since she could feel his need with that. When they parted she placed her hands on his chest and said, "Why don't we change okay?"

"Oh," Castle said, sounding disappointed. He let her go and was about to walk away when she grabbed his hand and then murmured into his ear.

Beckett wasn't sure what had possessed her to say all of what she had but she found that she didn't care as Castle seemed both pleased and relieved as he left her swiftly. She followed but went into the bathroom to change which she quickly did.

Castle was walking away from the fire when he saw his wife stepping out in her robe and he said, "You didn't need to wear anything."

"Oh I know but I wanted to have something for you," Beckett replied easily. She waited for her husband to get on the bed before she joined him, timing it perfectly so when she had landed on her knees next to him her robe flew open and revealed her naked body to her husband's eyes. "Good?" she asked.

"Oh dear god yes," Castle said before he grabbed her as tightly as he could. He crushed his lips to hers but considering the way she responded and so quickly he had to guess that she had been prepared. He hurriedly got her robe off her shoulders and nearly fully off her arms before it got stuck.

Beckett couldn't help smiling at her husband's obvious frustration when they parted though he didn't speak or make a sound. Instead she helped him and watched him toss the fabric onto the table behind the headboard. She looked on as he cupped her breasts and sighed in pleasure as his touch was very careful before saying, "Still enjoying them," a little wry in her tone.

"Can't help it, you have a very nice bosom," Castle said.

"Rick," Beckett said, knowing he'd said that to make her laugh; which she did. "Take those off?"

"Yeah," Castle replied, getting off the bed hurriedly. "Why did we bother?" he asked as his pajama pants joined her robe shortly.

"It delays things," Beckett said, smiling when her husband paused and groaned. As soon as he climbed back on the bed with her she tried to move him but that didn't work out as he was swiftly wrapping his arms around her, making her lay down. They kissed passionately, holding on tightly to one another before she finally couldn't take it any longer.

Castle grunted slightly as his wife abruptly turned him onto his back, reminding him of the fact that though she was petite in size compared to him she was strong enough still to do that. "You-" he started to say before she covered his mouth with her hand.

"I want to," Beckett said, knowing he preferred pleasuring her first out of some idea that she forced herself to do that for him. She kissed him and then began to move down his body, doing the same she'd done to his lips as she listened to him grunting in joy at each touch she made to his skin.

Castle attempted to watch his wife for as long as he possibly could until she came to his erection. He groaned heavily in pleasure as she pressed her lips to it and then took it with her hand. He grabbed a pillow, grasping at it a little desperately before he put it underneath his head. He was just in time as by the time his head was settled again his wife was lowering her mouth around him. He squeezed his eyes shut tightly as Beckett only worked her tongue over the tip of him before she carefully slid down further. "Fuck… Kate," he breathed out.

Smiling inwardly at his reaction Beckett didn't stop instead continuing as far as she let herself until pulling back. She began to bob her head, going as slowly as she could at first. She then started to touch him, fondling him a little at the same time she moved. Finally she pulled away from him enough so he slipped from her mouth and started to brush her fingertips against him.

Jerking his hips against her in reaction Castle wanted to say something; likely beg her to stop; but all he could do was groan in his pleasure. He tried to make himself stop as the sensation of her touch made the throbbing in his groin start to reach out for his entire body. He was afraid he was going to get off way too soon when she merely wrapped her hand around him. He let out a ragged breath of relief when she didn't move a muscle, just held him, and it allowed him to calm enough. "Let me…" he said, heart thudding heavily in his chest as she was compliant to his touch and he knew he had permission. He was nearly shuddering in delight watching her allow him to lead her back to his length but that was nothing in comparison to when she opened her mouth once more and took him back in.

That time Beckett moved rapidly, not wanting to wait as she had one more thing in mind before she would let him go. She had a rhythm that she kept up but it changed as she wanted to push him a little harder than she normally liked to do. Finally though she moved away from him again and nearly started to press him against her chest when he stopped her almost instantly.

"Don't," Castle said, breathing out. "I know you want… you think I want that, I don't," he said, not liking the idea of her taking things so far as he had explained to her before he wanted her to be at least a little pure. " _Just a little pure_ ," he murmured. He was relieved when she smiled widely at him and he held her close to him as she sat up all the way and they kissed hungrily on the lips before they parted. Falling back on the bed as she continued back at his member he felt her touching him at the same time; more like fondling; and that was the last he needed, breaking with her name on his lips, calling to her repeatedly.

When he had finished Beckett said, "If you hadn't said that about my breasts before I would think you didn't think I could do it." She wasn't surprised when her husband didn't answer that and instead flipped her around onto her back. She was a little startled; for a moment; at his frantic kiss he gave her but seemed to understand that he wanted her as his actual goddess. When they had parted she brushed her fingertips against his lips and murmured, " _Thank you_ ," as she never had been too enthusiastic about an attempt to take him between her mounds.

" _I adore you Kate_ ," Castle said seriously, intently as he looked into her eyes. He kissed her again, but that time much more gently, before he carefully pulled away and nuzzled her lips. A final, brief, kiss and he was going down her body, stopping off at her breasts for a bit longer than he'd planned, wanting to worship them a little deliberately.

Gasping and shifting on the bed Beckett could hear herself crying out but felt no sort of embarrassment in that as it felt amazing. Her breasts felt warm and tingled in the electricity of his touch and she didn't think she'd be able to get enough. But soon he was moving away from her, drifting down to her abdomen where she gasped in pleasure at the way he flicked his tongue at her dancing muscles. After he'd moved from there she breathed out to both brace herself and also in anticipation as he'd finally reached the apex of her legs.

There Castle took his time kissing the slight mound it made, still loving that minor evidence of her being a woman, before he went to her spread legs. He started kissing around the insides of her thighs, letting his tongue trail along her skin there too before he went to her clit. There was no shock in how swollen the nub was and he decided that it would be unfair if he tried to delay too much. So as he began he was slow but then worked up to a faster speed, letting his wife's cries and moans direct him perfectly.

Holding on to the top pillow of the ones underneath her Beckett couldn't do anything but trust her husband to get her to her edge. She was a little dismayed he didn't try to postpone that but decided that she wanted him inside her more than anything else. And while his tongue was at that moment there she far preferred his erection which she hoped he'd have again when he was finished. She cursed a little in her mind as she knew she wasn't going to be ready for him right away but decided to think of something; once she stopped feeling the delight he was filling her with at that moment as her sex throbbed and ached to the tune of his strokes.

Castle didn't know how long it took, the fact that he didn't make an attempt to time it let him know it was a while, but when he finally got Beckett to break he couldn't help feeling proud. With his name being cried out by her repeatedly at that point he kept up with her the best he could, holding her in place until she very slowly came down and he moved away to just watch her.

Not sure why Castle was looking at her so lovingly as she knew she had to look like some kind of mess, a thin sheen of sweat on her body and every part of her feeling like it was still trembling. But she couldn't doubt the look on his face and she soon pushed herself up and threw her arms around her husband, kissing him desperately as he held her against him. Their tongues dueling against each other she soon pulled away from him and sighed saying, "I tried to think of something to get me… prepared but I can't. You blew my mind."

Smiling; as his wife was doing the same; Castle leaned over and kissed her gently before saying, "There's one thing." He whispered into her ear before she blushed deeply but then nodded. He helped her on top of him and he watched as she proceeded to rub her sex against his length, doing his best to use his endurance until she finally stopped, panting heavily.

Beckett allowed him to lay her down again and she helped him get her legs up over his shoulders. Since they were spread far apart he could lean down and she responded to his kiss he planted on her lips to let him know she was fine. Since she couldn't help him she had to let him help himself into her but it didn't matter, the sensation was still amazing as it nearly felt that they hadn't done anything sexual until that morning. "Please," she gasped, feeling him still in her and throbbing against her skin so closely. "Fuck me lover." She cried out as that was enough of an encouragement but she wasn't finished as she then begged him, "Oh god, yes Rick, please! Fuck me just like this… please!" She tried to move with him the best she could which was a little hard but soon they were together in pace and the slap of their hips together filled her ears and made her heartbeat speed up as even more pleasure surged through every inch of her body. She then pulled him down to her then for a heavy, hard kiss they were soon playfully fighting to control though in the end they just took enjoyment from the taste and sensation of one another as they continued to feel one another so intimately.

Watching his wife closely after they had parted Castle tried to go as fast as he possibly could before leaning down to her neck where he proceeded to kiss and suck at her pulse. The way she reacted to him in turn affected him and his breathing became rougher before he drifted up to her lips; unable to stop himself from doing so. He kept that kiss very brief before he pulled away from her and then nuzzled her lips murmuring, "Would you want to… stop," hesitating slightly as she slid her legs a little further apart suddenly.

"I think… yes you'll have to," Beckett breathed, squeezing her eyes shut as tightly as she could. With the position they were in he wasn't able to stimulate her as he did when her legs weren't in the way but it was no less enjoyable as he was firm within her body and rough against her sex. She turned her head to the side, moaning his name a little before he suddenly stopped and she couldn't help smiling when her body reacted the same. "Love," she breathed.

Castle leaned down and kissed her gently before getting her legs off of him and parting from her. He tried not to groan too loudly at the ache in his groin with her missing from around him and instead he moved to lay back when she pulled him up by his arms. "Always forget you can do that," he grunted as he helped her down on him.

"We just spent all this time apart… and you don't want the chance to take me?" Beckett said, trying to be teasing but failing miserably as they were thrusting together at the same time. The pleasure shot straight through her and to add to it she pressed him up to her chest before he was moving his hands from her back and to her breasts.

Castle was trying not to go too crazy at first, wanting to take a little time at least to show her his adulation in a more physical sense. So he cupped the mounds reverently before he leaned down and proceeded to kiss at them which was a little difficult since she was still moving. But he was groaning abruptly when his wife proceeded to slow down and he wanted to protest that but found he couldn't do so. It allowed him to stimulate her and it wasn't as if he wasn't still feeling pleasure in the way her body moved on him. He had further cause not to complain when she suddenly began to rock on him and he nearly moved to grab her by her hips. But he took that for what it was, an opportunity, and he began to nip gently at her breasts, everywhere he could. Hearing her cries of joy at him he then stopped and very gently flicked his tongue around her nipple before taking it into his mouth, suckling slowly and very gently at first.

Grasping at the back of his head Beckett had to control herself so she wouldn't dig her nails into the back of it as her pleasure was so great it quickly became a struggle. Soon though he was pulling away and stroking at her again and she faltered a little in her thrusts before she went back to it again, rolling her hips. She looked on as he descended to her other breast and she held onto him tightly as again the pleasure started up. What felt like quick bolts of energy were spreading through her and she wasn't sure she was going to be able to take that for very long. But luckily her husband was leaning up and kissing her and she responded as hurriedly as possible, moaning against him as his tongue quickly sank into her mouth. They fought a little before they parted and as soon as they had she was stopping, breathing roughly and looking into her husband's eyes.

Castle felt the same ache again at their lack of movement; lack of stimulation; and he was about to ask her what she wanted when she leaned over to him. "Kate…" he started to say as the look in her eyes nearly made him breathless.

Pressing her forehead against her husband's Beckett whispered to him, "Lay me down and fuck me Rick. Make me come." At his sudden shudder of pleasure she braced herself, her breath still catching, as her husband grabbed her and laid her on her back, making them part again. She expected him to rejoin her but very quickly after she felt his lips running across her and she gasped in joy as he went all over her body. Her breasts, stomach, legs; even all the way down to her feet. He kissed her where he could until she watched him hover above her.

"Can I?" Castle asked her. When his wife nodded he reached down, very carefully rubbing at her clit. Her sudden cry and arch of her back let him gauge what he could do and then proceeded to enter her again. Judging by her breathing and gasps she gave him he knew she was enjoying that and didn't stop until their hips were touching each other. "Love," he told her simply before he began to move. And that time he didn't try to move slowly or carefully, ramming into her repeatedly as her legs wrapped tightly around his waist to help him out. He wasn't immune himself and as he watched her very quickly beginning to reach the end he felt like he was close. There was a moment where he debated if he should delay things again but thought they'd waited long enough and he somehow found the strength to continue, kissing all around her upper body as his was burning in its desire to reach its end.

Beckett wasn't sure what it was that he did that pushed her over the edge. There was a part of her that wanted to say it was his kisses but it didn't make that much of a difference. In the end she couldn't say for sure, only acknowledged that her husband was pushing her over the edge, making her back arch as she cried out to him, "Rick… oh god, don't stop I can't… please don't stop!" She was aware after she said that that he wasn't moving and she moaned when she realized what he was doing. A short time later he began to thrust again, and hard, and it took very little before they were both calling out to each other in their ecstasy, grasping one another the best they could.

"Fuck my love, I don't want to stop," Castle was able to groan out. He wanted to tell her more, how good she felt and how much he loved to see her lose control as she was doing, but couldn't get the words out. He then just watched her until she was nearly collapsing on the bed while she still throbbed around him. He couldn't stop, not without another few hard slams against her body. Only then could he stop and he did, just barely keeping from collapsing on her as he was breathing harshly; hearing her doing the same below him. "I love you Kate," he said seriously when he felt a little more recovered.

"I love you too Rick," Beckett said before they kissed each other gently. She reluctantly let him go, watching him move to lie next to her before she sat up on her knees.

"You're not tired?" Castle asked as he put his hands under his head. He then studied her and said, "You want to check them?"

"I would," Beckett replied with a smile. She waited for her husband to sit up before wrapping her arms around him and hugging him tightly as they kissed. Their tongues flicked together a few times before they slowly parted and she said, "Do you?"

Laughing softly as he knew that question was largely rhetorical Castle brushed his lips against hers and said, "We better get dressed." Though he didn't want her to Beckett was slipping out of his arms and he watched her slide off the bed before she stood. He hurried to sit on the edge and grabbed her, staring at her intently.

Beckett wanted to point out that he wanted to go but she couldn't really complain as his lips brushed over her body gently. Finally she stepped away from him and pulled him up saying, "We need some sleep."

"I know," Castle conceded. "They have school."

Nodding Beckett went to throw on her pajamas and as she pulled on her long, dark blue shirt she laughed as she soon felt Castle's hands on her. "You have to let me go Rick," she teased him as she turned to him.

"Hard to do," Castle replied simply. He laughed when she pushed him gently and he followed her to the door, managing to grab her robe on the table as they passed and helping her into it once they were walking down the hall.

Seeing that Eliza was asleep when they went to her first Beckett carefully smoothed her hair away from her forehead before gently kissing it. She watched as Castle soon did the same and took his hand as they quickly went to Julia's room.

Scratching behind Macca's ears as he let Beckett kiss Julia first Castle watched the little girl shift wondering if they'd woken her up. But when she merely settled down again he breathed out and squeezed Beckett's hand in passing before he leaned down, kissing her forehead as his wife had done. He watched her turn over then, smiling as Macca at the end of the bed yawned before lying back down. He went to Beckett and took her hand, holding it tightly as they left the room and went back to their own. He let her go to close the door but didn't lock it that time while he watched her walk back to the bed.

"That was nice," Beckett told him as she watched him climb under the covers with her after turning off the fire. When he paused she said, "I guess nice is a little tame," she said, pulling him over to her. She grabbed the front of his shirt and pulled him straight against her and said against his lips, "You were amazing Rick."

"You were too… incredible Kate," Castle told her seriously before they fell into one another. That kiss was passionate and almost led them to making love yet again though he just managed to get them to stop.

Looking at one another Castle and Beckett kissed a final time and then lay down, pressing close for warmth as they murmured their goodnights to one another. They were soon asleep and deeply as their sated fatigue filled them but couldn't shake them from remembering their night and the pleasure they'd had together as they began to dream.


	13. And The Ghosts Were Out

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The lyrics in the chapter are from the songs I'd Have You Anytime by George Harrison and Bob Dylan, from the former's album All Things Must Pass, and She Is So Beautiful by Paul McCartney, from the Japanese release of his album Chaos and Creation in the Backyard.

Throwing her shirt off over head and to the side Beckett took no notice of it after it had left her hand since at the same moment her husband was grasping her breasts. She breathed out in joy before his hands slid to her back and held her up against his chest. "I wish…" she began after they'd parted from their kiss then. "We had more time."

"I know but tonight," Castle told her. He paused and then kissed her frantically a few times before he forced himself to speak again. "Don't forget tonight."

Beckett only had a chance to nod before she was being laid down by her husband and together they removed the last of his clothes that were blocking them. She was trying to catch up with him as he'd woken her up on that Halloween morning by kissing her frantically, trying to work her up until she'd moved with him. Finally she was able to bring him down to her and she gasped in pleasure as he sank inside of her body. "God… I didn't even think I wanted to do this," she breathed to him once they were pressed close together.

"I'm that good," Castle replied. "To make you want me." Before she could respond to that he kissed her, crushing his lips against hers, not moving yet as he wasn't sure exactly how he wanted to take her. He decided to let her choose but couldn't stop their kiss for a while longer until finally they absolutely had to breathe. When they'd parted he murmured to her, "Tell me Kate."

Biting her lower lip at that, as she was already aware what he needed to know, Beckett brushed her lips to his and after throwing her legs around his waist told him, "Both." That single word was more than enough for her husband and he began to move, making her moan softly as the pleasure was swift though he was slow. She stroked the back of his head and since their lips were close she whispered to him, "I love you, oh god Rick I love you."

"I adore you Kate," Castle told her seriously before they fell into a kiss then. Their tongues tangled around each other and were hungrily stroking together before they parted and pressed their foreheads together. He remembered the fact that their alarm was going to go off shortly so he began to move a little harder as she encouraged him lovingly. The feel of her heels crossing on his back nearly made him shudder as it felt like she was hugging him to her body. He was still able to move and he groaned as he could feel how tight she was around him. Thrusting through her easily he breathed out deeply once before he leaned down and kissed at her shoulders, using that for a distraction. Her nails raked over his scalp and he shook hard once before going back to his rhythm. Feeling them moving together he groaned deeply when the slap of their skin transferred to the rest of his body before he felt her stopping and he rushed to do the same.

Beckett wanted to explain why she'd done that but when her husband started to kiss her deeply she had the feeling that he seemed to understand already. She was relieved as she felt things were moving just a little too fast even though they did have to eventually get up. She responded to the next two kisses that he gave to her and when they had parted from the last she told him, "That was enough."

"I know," Castle said before he was crushing his lips against hers. That time he was moving inside of her and as hard as he could, trying to keep their mouths together for as long as possible before he pulled away from her with a groan of frustration. "Just needed… a little more," he groaned out to her.

"We don't have enough time," Beckett said. When her husband faltered at the same time he looked at her she nodded and nearly screamed his name when he literally began to ram inside of her body. She tried her best to match his pace and just barely managed to get there. With how he was moving she could feel him against her, a blur in sensation as he was going so fast there was no chance to feel his length with any clarity. She didn't mind it but she couldn't help admitting it in her head; along with all the other thoughts rushing through it; that she liked feeling him inch by inch. But right after that went through her she admitted that there was nothing wrong either with what he was doing to her right at that moment. "Rick…" she breathed.

"I am too love," Castle had to force out of his mouth. He was trying to keep breathing, nearly gasping for air at the speed he was going. But he loved every moment of it and didn't want to stop until he absolutely had to. It was then he had an idea and despite the fact that time was running out for them he kept close watch of his wife so he would know when to act. Looking at her and feeling her at the same time was amazing as usual, she was tight and wet and though she couldn't move that well on him it was enough to add to their friction; hot against his body and making him ache for more pleasurably. He soon realized that she was close and so he somehow found the strength to push himself just a little more and he angled his hips down at the same time.

Beckett was a little shocked in the feel of her clit being directly stimulated and she arched her back roughly in her ecstasy, crying out her husband's name before she realized that he was pulling out of her. She gasped out in surprise but couldn't stop climaxing as soon Castle's fingers were running against her clit, deliberately trying to continue to stimulate her. It only took a quick glance at his face to realize what he was doing and she shuddered in pleasure as the last of hers began to run out though the warmth of her satisfaction and the throb of her body remained with her yet.

Though he'd done it before Castle couldn't help but be fascinated by the sight of his wife trying to take him in her orgasm when he wasn't there. He gently fingered her there but only allowed himself the briefest touch he could manage and then moved back up to her clit quickly. There he just barely stroked her, feeling her shaking a little in response to him every time he touched her. He was going to continue that until she was ready again for him when she stopped him. "No?" he asked, wondering if she was going to make him pay for pulling out of her.

"Not that," Beckett said, moving her hand from pressing to his wrist to holding his erection. She watched him tense up, teeth grit together and she used her other hand to pull him over to her until he was above her. "Go ahead," she told him.

"Are you sure?" Castle asked as he was nestled against her folds.

"Yes, just put it inside me before you come," Beckett said easily.

Going rigid for a moment with that command Castle told her, "I'll be there before then."

"You don't need to," Beckett replied.

"Yes I will," Castle corrected her. And with that he began to rock his body against hers, groaning in pleasure as she cried out joyfully at the feel of their bodies rubbing together. He moved harder as time passed, watching Beckett closely and carefully until he came to the point where he could sink inside of her again. At that point they both seemed to lose all control, holding on tightly to one another as they drove each other as hard as they possibly could. It took very little time luckily for him to make his wife climax and he loved the way she called his name without shame before he broke and finally took his pleasure in her. Feeling her take his orgasm was far better than watching it and he made a wild promise to never watch that again. But since he'd made that same vow mentally before and had yet to hold to it he knew he was wasting his time thinking it. Finally he came back to himself, breathing heavily as he soon stopped moving after a few last heavy thrusts, and just when he was relaxing he nearly jumped as the alarm on his phone went off.

Beckett couldn't help smiling at him as Castle groaned loudly and said, "We still have time for a shower."

Sighing Castle said, "Yeah but not a sexy shower."

"Get off of me," Beckett said, though she was laughing as she did. Once he was off she led him into the bathroom and at the shower was about to step in when he stopped her. She laughed softly as he kissed at her shoulder and said, "One of the few times I'm taller than you," since there was a small step up.

"Few times," Castle said, knowing her words were to remind him that they couldn't really spend too long there. He followed her inside the stall and turned on the water for her before they fell into one another, kissing gently. He became a little annoyed with the pace after a while but knew again they couldn't risk taking things any further than that. So he instead tried to satisfy himself with washing off her body though it wasn't the same and he wasn't afraid to tell her so.

"I know love," Beckett told him. "But it's Halloween."

"Yeah you're right," Castle agreed. "I just hope that we can get everything ready for the party in time."

"It's why we're not writing today," Beckett told him with a slight smile as she was beginning to wash his body. "Remember what you said about tonight?"

"I do, so does that mean you agree with me and we'll go ahead and… engage in our more salacious activities we enjoy together?" Castle asked her.

Beckett rolled her eyes though she was smiling at the same time and didn't answer him at first, instead running her hands over his back gently as he was standing under the water to rinse off. Once he had finished and stepped back to her she told him, "Yes we will. But that's not what I meant."

Castle shuddered a little as his wife was very gently running both of her hands over his chest and he had to recover a little so he could say, "No?"

"You wanted to play with our costumes didn't you, Saturday night?" Beckett asked.

Using the action of turning off the water to give him a chance to form an actual, verbal response to that Castle said, "I did and if you would like to, I would love to play with them. But not as Bonnie and Clyde."

"I knew that already," Beckett said with a slight smirk.

"And that's why I love you," Castle said, kissing her deeply. He wanted to let that drag out for as long as possible, but finally had to pull away from her before he told her, "I'll show you what I want to do later."

Beckett nodded in agreement to that and then stepped out with him so they could dry off and then get dressed. When she was back in the bathroom to brush out her hair and pull it up into a ponytail she smiled as her husband soon appeared behind her and said, "You could go wake them up."

"I could but I prefer taking you with me," Castle said, putting his hands on her shoulders. "I enjoy your company, incalculably," he told her before kissing at her neck.

"Incalculably?" Beckett said. She sighed and turned to him to stop him saying, "You're a walking thesaurus." When his only response was to hit his heels together and bow she laughed and said, "Let's go before we're all late." She pressed a kiss to his lips before taking his hand and going out of the room and down the hall to their daughters' rooms.

Stepping into Julia's room ahead of his wife Castle threw up his hands and said, "Looks like they escaped again Kate, we better get the net." He had seen both their daughters standing next to the little girl's bed first and when they turned to him; their eyes wide in surprise; he started to run to them when they took off.

Watching the two go around first Castle and then herself Beckett saw they were starting to head down the hall until they nearly ran into her father, crying out, "Grandpapa!" "Morning Dad," she said with a smile as they hugged him tightly.

"Looks like you two escaped," Jim commented, leading the two back to their parents. "Good morning Katie," he said to his daughter when he'd reached her. "I'm guessing they need to get ready?"

"If they want to wear their costumes," Beckett said teasingly.

"We do!" the two said at the same time before launching themselves at her.

"Good morning Julia, Eliza," Beckett told them hugging them to her tightly before she knelt down in front of them. "You did sleep right?"

"Yeah we're excited about tonight though," Julia answered, Eliza next her nodding her head.

"Speaking of tonight we should get you ready and get to school so we get closer to tonight," Castle said. He wasn't surprised when both girls looked at him in confusion and he said to his wife, "No?"

"I don't think so," Beckett said, trying to fight a smile that was appearing on her lips. "I'll help Julia," she said as she then picked up Eliza. "Your daddy will help you okay?"

"Yeah," the toddler said before sharing a kiss with her mother. "Can you brush my hair?"

"She needs to," Castle replied. "Since she's doing your hair up today for your costumes." He took Eliza from his wife and said, "We'll be back."

"We're going to make breakfast Dad," Beckett said to Jim then. "After they're ready."

"I'll get my coffee while I wait for you," he replied, smiling at Julia. "I can't wait to see your dress honey."

"You have before Grandpapa," the little girl said. "But I'm glad you want to." When he'd left them and she closed the door she said to her mother, "I wish I could wear my Paul costume to school."

"You could but I don't want to let your sister wear the Jeremy costume yet," Beckett told her. "I don't want to risk her getting it dirty."

"Okay," Julia said, hurrying over to where her mother was setting her dress on the bed and taking off her pajamas herself. It was supposed to be a new play dress her parents had bought for her in the city on a weekend trip earlier that month but she had decided to wear it for school since she could. She wrinkled her nose at the pantalets and after they were on said to her mother, "I'm glad I don't have to wear these."

"Me too, imagine my skirt if I had to wear one of those dresses," Beckett told her.

"Would you wear that for a costume?" Julia asked interestedly.

"I don't know," Beckett replied with a smile before she helped her put the dress down over her raised arms. "What I prefer is to be able to move around like normal even when I'm in costume. I think that's why I like the dress your gram made for me," she said, zipping the back of the Civil War era children's dress. She made sure the hem of the aqua blue fabric was straight and that her pantalets would be enough to keep the little girl's legs warm. "Okay what do you think?"

Running to the mirror Julia turned her skirt back and forth a couple times and smiled saying, "It looks so pretty Mommy."

"Will you be warm still?" Beckett said.

Looking at her legs Julia nodded and was about to speak again when there was a knock at the door and she looked over to see that it was her sister since she'd pushed the door open. "Oh you look perfect!" she said, smiling as Eliza ran to her. They were dressed similarly; Civil War dresses that were short to show the pantalets; but her little sister's dress was a red, blue and grey plaid.

"Thank you," the toddler replied. "Daddy says I have…"

"I told her she looked like she traveled through time," Castle said laughingly. "I don't think she got what I said."  
"Not a surprise," Beckett said, slightly wryly as she put away Julia's pajamas in a drawer. "You can go ahead and make breakfast, I'll probably be here for a while doing their hair."

"Not unless I help," Martha said, coming to the doorway. She smiled at her son and daughter in law as her granddaughters rushed to her and she hugged them after they'd done so to her telling them, "Good morning to you both as well. You look very pretty, like young ladies."

"You can help out with their hair?" Castle asked his mother.

"Of course," Martha said simply in reply. "So go, make breakfast and when we join you these two will look like they've stepped out of a fashion plate."

"Daddy wait!" the girls said together. They went to him as soon as he'd stopped walking over to the door and they hurriedly told him what to make in the foam of their mother's coffee as soon as he was kneeling in front of him.

"Will do, I'll do something special with the rest of breakfast too," Castle said. He let them kiss him on the cheeks and he hugged them tightly before he stood and left to head downstairs, Macca joining him.

"Okay," Martha said once they were alone. "Time to get started."

"Could you do Eliza's hair?" Beckett asked. "I'm a little afraid I won't have the patience to get her hair curled."

"Come here kiddo," Martha said in surprise as she picked up her youngest granddaughter. "Let's see if we can't at least have your hair match your sister's."

Watching them go Julia turned to her mother when she touched her shoulder, going into the bathroom with her where her mother's curler had been since the night before. "It's funny," she said suddenly as they waited for the curler to heat up.

"What is?" Beckett asked, looking over at her when she didn't say anything else after that.

"I don't feel as excited as I was when we were counting down Halloween," Julia replied.

"When the party starts you'll feel more excited," Beckett said, finishing brushing her daughter's hair. The curler was ready so she began to make very thick ringlets on each side of her head after parting her hair. It took a little time to make sure each curl would stay in place but she finally had it set and when she'd unplugged the tool said to Julia, "You can look now," with a slight smile as her daughter had kept her eyes closed.

Peering at herself in the mirror Julia said, "It's perfect Mommy! I look like I was in a daurag… daguerreotype?"

"That's right," Beckett said before she heard the sound of running coming into the room. "Your sister is ready," she told Julia before turning to catch Eliza as she nearly ran into her. "You look beautiful sweetie," she said, kissing her cheek before setting her down.

The two sisters looked at each other before giggling at the sight of the fat curls framing their faces. Julia took her sister's hand and then ran out to her bedroom where they pretended to dance a reel together before their mother was stopping them.

"Not enough time to dance right now," Beckett said to them gently, her hands on their shoulders. "But maybe when you come home you can."

"What about her dance class?" Martha said, having been standing in the doorway.

"You did a great job on her hair," Beckett told her first. She then answered her question by telling her, "Julia's going to ask if she can stay in her dress."

"I think Ms. Grey will," Julia told them as they headed for the stairs together. "All I have to do is change my shoes."

Talking with his father in law as they were waiting for the others to join them Castle looked up when he heard the girls coming to the bottom of the staircase. "Wow, look at you two," he said before Jim was turning around to see. "You look like you came right from the 1860's." He walked over to them and put his hand underneath a curl on each of their heads. "Nice," he said, bouncing them before Julia grabbed his hand to stop him. "Couldn't help myself," he said apologetically to them.

"They have to stay until school's over," Julia told him a little sternly. She then smiled when she gently tugged on a curl in Eliza's hair before her sister was doing the same to hers.

"Stop," Beckett said, laughter in her voice. "I want to get a picture of you two before you ruin those."

Standing with Macca sitting next to them the girls waited for their family to take pictures of them with their phones though their mother used her camera.

"Thank you," Beckett said, looking at her phone and saving the picture Castle had sent to her.

"What do we have Daddy?" Eliza asked eagerly.

"Get the table ready and then I'll show you," Castle told them.

Julia had her sister's help in setting the table though she didn't have to set out plates, just bowls. She was soon finished and sitting down with her sister next to her as their parents were setting down plates in front of them. "Pumpkins!" she cried when she saw the shapes the pancakes on them were in.

"Don't poke them sweetie," Beckett said, grabbing Eliza's fork carefully when she saw what the toddler was doing. "Are you still hungry?" she asked.

"Yeah," Eliza replied. "I want some," she said then as she saw Castle was bringing over a pot of oatmeal.

"Try to say that again Eliza," Castle told her.

"Can I have some, please?" the toddler said after squirming a little in her chair as everyone was looking at her.

"Yes, everyone can," Castle said, ladling it out into all the bowls. "Go ahead and start eating," he said to the others. "I just need to get Kate's coffee."

Beckett watched him get a spoonful of oatmeal into his mouth from his bowl before he hurried over to the kitchen. She sat down and watched Eliza to make sure she was eating slowly and then looked over at her oldest when she started to speak.

"Can we take Macca with us to school?" Julia said hopefully.

"I think we could," Castle answered before his wife did.

"I can watch Macca for you outside," Jim said to his daughter, knowing why she looked like she was having doubts about that. "Tomorrow we can leave him at home."

"Alright," Beckett said as she could tell he didn't mind doing that. "Are you going too Martha?"

"I am," Castle's mother replied easily. "It will be interesting to see everyone dressed up."

"Reminding you of Alexis' schools?" Castle asked her as he went over to the table with a mug.

"Quite a bit," Martha said with a nod. "So what did he make today?" she asked her daughter in law as Castle had set the coffee in front of his wife.

Beckett laughed softly and said, "What else? A ghost," as she took a quick picture. She took the cup over to her mother in law and father, letting them see before she went back to her chair. Setting it down on the table she grabbed Castle's hand and then kissed him on the lips. It was brief though since they weren't alone but she moved over to his ear and murmured for a moment before pulling back.

"You're welcome," Castle said, as she'd told him to say that towards the end of her promise to go along with whatever he wanted that night.

When her husband leaned over once they were sitting to whisper in her ear Beckett smiled and then replied by giving him a nod before they squeezed hands tightly and then turned to their family. "So how are the pancakes?" she asked to get their attention back to the meal.

"They're pumpkin," Julia told her mother.

"I had a feeling he'd use that mix," Beckett said. She looked at Castle and said, "Just a guess."

"A good guess," he told her. "But you like them?"

"Yep," Julia said. She then thought for a moment and said, "You should make them for dessert tonight."

"I was planning on making them for breakfast tomorrow," Castle said.

"For everyone else," Beckett added.

"And you guys too, not just them," Castle said defensively. He smiled at the girls when they tried not to laugh at that and said, "For everyone."

"I'm going to guess we'll have breakfast in the dining room," Martha commented.

"We need to," Beckett said. "There's nowhere else we can all fit."

"When do they come Mommy?" Julia asked.

"After Julia's dance class, around three thirty they said they would try to get here," Castle answered for her.

"What are they going to do for that long until the party starts?" Julia asked.

"Probably rest," Beckett said. "If Tommy's cranky at all then he'll need to take a nap."

"Do I?" Eliza asked with a slight frown.

"If you do you will after lunch," Beckett replied easily.

"You're enjoying your breakfast?" Castle asked his father in law who'd been largely silent.

"Oh of course, I'm just listening in," Jim said.

"Why Grandpapa?" Eliza asked him.

"It's quiet at home," Jim replied.

"This is home," Eliza said, looking confused.

"My home," Jim explained. "It's interesting to hear you talk."

Eliza smiled at that and then said, "You like the pumpkin?"

"I do," Jim replied.

"What about our pumpkins?" Julia said then.

"We'll carve them after your dance class," Castle began. "But do you mind if we make one pumpkin with Eliza before we go to your school?"

"No but don't do all of them," Julia said.

"We won't," Beckett promised. She saw that the girls were finishing the last of their oatmeal and she had them do the same with their orange juice before they started to clean off the table.

"Come on girls," Martha said while her daughter in law was washing the dishes. "We'll get you ready so we can go."

"Are we still going to wear our coats?" Julia asked as she followed her grandmother and little sister to the entry.

"Of course it's still cold," Martha answered as she pulled out Eliza's blue jacket. She handed Julia's navy coat to Jim who'd followed them and then said to the toddler, "You look very sweet Eliza but please make sure you're not too rough in your dress."

"We won't be," Julia said, to try and remind her that she would be playing recess with her.

"You better not," Castle said as he and Beckett joined them. "We'll wash everything when we get back," he explained to his mother and Jim. "We need to go. But girls, we wanted you to have these to dress up in so hopefully you'll be careful to not tear them."

"Even if you did," Martha then said. "And as long as it's a small tear I could fix it."

"But we should still be careful?" Julia asked. When her mother nodded she smiled and said, "We will be, we want to wear them again."

Castle at that moment was trying to get Macca to stay still while he put on the dog's sweater so he merely nodded to what the girls said. Once that was finally on he got the dog's leash on before he stepped out of the house last as the others had been helping the girls with their backpacks. "Nice and chilly," he said when he joined the others after locking the door behind them. "Perfect trick or treating weather."

"It's not going to rain today," Julia told Eliza who she could see ahead of her and Jim was looking up at the sky.

"She's right kiddo," Martha told her as she was walking with the toddler. "It'll rain this weekend."

"Good," Eliza said firmly.

"Hello everyone," Rebecca said, standing on the sidewalk with her daughter in front of their home. "Happy Halloween."

After they'd said the same back to her and Mari, Beckett asked her friend, "And Dani?"

"She's fine, we just thought it was a little too cold for her," Rebecca answered as they started to walk to the school and she stayed with Castle and Beckett. "So David's watching her. What time do you want us over?"

"Nine thirty is fine," Beckett replied. "We don't necessarily need to decorate the house right this second."

"Great but we're bringing over Ruby," Rebecca told them.

"That'll be alright," Castle said. "We don't mind her over you know."

"Do you have any decorations?" Beckett then asked.

"No you said just the plates and napkins along with party favors for the gift bags," Rebecca said. "Though really, gift bags?"

"That was his idea," Beckett said, motioning with her hand to her husband.

"Hey if you have a party you should definitely have that," Castle said. "Especially a party with kids."

"He's right," Rebecca said though she was sighing. She laughed for a moment with the two and said, "The kids are all going to be under ten so I suppose they'll like it."

Castle and Beckett didn't have a chance to respond to that as they were approaching the school and they watched their daughters say goodbye to Jim and Macca before leading them inside with Martha.

"Very cute costumes," Castle's mother said, looking at the children. "I see a lot of pirates."

"There's that cartoon Mother, very popular right now," he reminded her.

"True, I wonder that you girls didn't want to do that," Martha said to her granddaughters.

"We like our costumes more," Julia said, her little sister nodding once to that. She then said goodbye with her to Mari, who was dressed as Pippi Longstockings though her hair wasn't red. "We'll see you at recess," she told her.

"Yeah I wonder what we can play in our dresses," Mari said after they parted from a hug.

"We can make something up," Julia said firmly. She then turned to Eliza and watched as she said goodbye to their grandmother who gathered her in her other arm to her surprise.

"I'm going to stay down here while your parents take you to your classroom," Martha explained. "Have a wonderful day you two; I'll see you at lunch Eliza and Julia in your class."

"Bye Gram," the two said at the same time, smiling when their grandmother kissed them.

"See you at recess," Julia told her sister as she turned to Eliza then and hugged her as tightly as she could. "Hope they like your costume."

"You too," Eliza said.

Beckett took the toddler's hand and picked her up before hugging her, sharing a kiss with her. "They said it already but have a good day and we'll talk about it at lunch," she said.

"Kay, see you Mommy?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"We'll be here to pick you up," Beckett said.

"Macca?" Eliza then said.

"We'll see," Beckett replied with a soft laugh. She kissed her again before setting her down, watching as Castle took her into the classroom.

"I'll see you before lunch sweetheart," he was telling his youngest after he'd gotten her coat hung and her backpack in her cubbyhole. He hugged her tightly as she threw her arms tightly around him and rubbed her back saying, "Go have fun and watch those curls."

Giggling at that Eliza told her father, "Have fun with Mommy."

"I definitely will," Castle replied. They shared a kiss and then he let her go, watching her going over to some of her friends they would see at the party that night. After he was sure she was okay coloring with them he left the room and saw his wife, mother and daughter waving to Rebecca who was leaving. "We'll see you outside mother," he said before waving goodbye to Rebecca as well.

Going up the stairs first Julia led her parents down the hall to her classroom where she stopped saying, "I'll see you at the dance class."

"We can't wait," Beckett said as her oldest went to her first to hug her tightly. "And we'll see you then, try and pay attention before your little party."

"I will," Julia said with a wide smile before she took her mother's kiss on the cheek. "I hope decorating is fun."

"Luckily we'll be doing that with our friends and each other," Castle replied as Julia came over to him then. He embraced her tightly and then kissed her cheek quickly before saying, "But yeah, I agree with everything your mom said about your day today. We'll want to hear about it, carving the rest of the pumpkins."

"I'll tell you about everything," Julia said seriously before she laughed a little. "See you!"

Saying goodbye to her Castle took Beckett's hand and led her downstairs and out to their parents, watching as his wife took Macca from her father. He kept holding her hand as they headed back home and said, "You both are sure you don't want to help?" his tone joking.

"That's the wonderful thing about being guests," Martha told her son.

"You're going to go out still Dad?" Beckett asked.

"My camera is ready," Jim replied. "Though I feel like I should wait for the girls."

"The next time they don't have school," Beckett said. "You can go wherever you want to take pictures."

"But not before?" Jim asked with a slight smile.

Beckett merely shook her head, smiling as well, before she asked Martha, "You're heading out too?"

"Some last minute things and of course I'll pick up those cupcakes," Castle's mother replied. "But I'll be back in time for the class."

They were at the house then and after the gate had opened Beckett let Macca off his leash but the dog stayed close to her as they reached the front door. She watched her father and Martha head up the stairs once inside the house and she said to her husband, "I guess they're going to leave now."

"He's coming for lunch right?" Castle asked.

"I'm not sure," Jim replied before his daughter could as he was at the top of the stairs.

Beckett smiled at him before looking to her husband saying, "He might lose track of time."

"Then do you want a sandwich and drink to take with you?" Castle suggested. "I was going to get those ready for lunch now so we have more time for the pumpkin with Eliza."

"That would be great but-" Jim started to say. But he was cut off when his son in law left them and went straight to the kitchen. "I would have made my own," he said to his daughter.

"He's going to make them anyways," Beckett replied with a smile. She looked down the hall and said, "You better go place your order." She followed him to the kitchen then and said, "What do you have?"

"Essentially a whole deli," Castle told them as he looked at what he'd placed out on the table. "Since I stocked up on supplies for Julia's lunches for the rest this week on Monday."

"We're still catering for the party; in case you thought we were going to make sandwiches for it," Beckett said after her father had told Castle what he wanted. "But pizza as well as sandwiches, we wanted those as a nice slightly healthier option besides just pizza." She then smiled at her husband and added, "Plus they're going to cut the bread into the shape of pumpkins and ghosts. At his direction."

"It's a kid's party," Castle said simply as he was putting the lettuce on the sandwich in front of him. He carefully set the top slice of bread and cut it in half before putting it in a plastic bag and handing it over.

"If I'm not back before two," Jim told his daughter as she was leading him to the front door. "Call me, please."

"I will, I know you want to see her class," Beckett said simply. "Be careful and I want to see your shots." She waved goodbye to her father before he went to the car he'd driven in the night before to come to the Hamptons and saw him out of the gate before going back to the kitchen.

"Alright you two," Martha said as she came down the stairs a few minutes later. "I'm off through town; don't forget that Rebecca and David are on their way."

"Hard to, we're going to grab the decorations and put them in the family room," Castle said.

"And get everything out of the room for the tables," Beckett added.

"I wish you the best of luck with that," Martha commented. "I'll be back in time to go to the school for the dance class."

"You're going to have lunch out?" Beckett asked.

"I will, I have no idea how long I'll take," Martha said. "Have fun."

After he went with Beckett to the entry to see his mother off Castle waited for her to close and lock the door before he said, "I'd kiss you right now but my hands have mayo on them."

"Then you should probably get back to work," Beckett replied teasingly and with a slight smile on her face.

"As long as you keep me company?" Castle asked before she was playfully pushing him away from her. He went back to the island and got started on the sandwiches they'd eat at lunch, making a peanut butter and jelly sandwich last for Eliza.

"What?" Beckett asked, looking up at her husband when he paused, seeing he was looking at the counter.

"I'm wondering what to make for Julia's lunch tomorrow," Castle said. "Peanut butter and jelly or turkey, or ham or-"

"I get it Rick, a lunch meat," Beckett interrupted him with a smile. "Which does she prefer?"

"Peanut butter and jelly and banana it is," Castle said.

"Hold off on the banana," Beckett told him as he was turning to where they kept the fruit. "It's not really going to keep for tomorrow."

"Right, so I'll pack her one," Castle said. "Or maybe an apple would be better. It goes better with the theme of autumn."

"It does," Beckett said, laughing softly at that.

As he was working on that sandwich Castle asked, "Anything interesting in the paper."

"Not particularly, the O'Hares won the Halloween decorating contest," Beckett said.

"They must have new scenes," Castle said. "Luckily they don't go with horror."

"There are a lot of families in town you know," Beckett said.

"Which is why they don't use that theme or else no one would bother to go," Castle easily replied. "So that's another sandwich done. Would you mind these for lunch tomorrow?"

"If we have that you'll need to make a number of them," Beckett reminded him.

"I'm well aware," Castle said. When she nodded he then started to make a plate stacked with sandwiches until he was satisfied they, their family and their guests would have enough the next day. Luckily he'd had some help, his wife joining him after she'd washed her hands.

"So we have about an hour," Beckett told him. "Anything you'd like to do now?"

"No, I'm good," Castle replied, drying his hands off with a towel.

Beckett was a little startled at that but when her husband suddenly grabbed her she wasn't too surprised at his next move, which was to crush her lips underneath his own. She moaned softly in pleasure before their tongues met in her mouth and she held onto him as tightly as she possibly could before they needed some air. "You…" she started to say, looking into his eyes and rapidly recognizing what he wanted.

"Come on," Castle said, taking her by the hand and leading her upstairs as fast as he could. When they were in their room he closed the door and locked it; more as a precaution than anything else; and turned his attention to his wife. He kissed her yet again and then led her to the bed where they rapidly undressed each other. And it was with that that he knew she was more than okay with his idea and he was overjoyed as he laid her down on the bed he'd hurriedly turned down. Joining her he made them couple together rapidly, startled into stillness by the fact that she was wet. "Why?" he asked a little breathlessly.

"I was remembering this morning," Beckett told him honestly. She smiled briefly when he looked confused still and told him, "Because being that close to you… you smelled the same as when you were pounding into me."

"Is that what you want me to do now?" Castle asked after he'd allowed himself a chance to shudder in pleasure at her words.

"No, make love to me," Beckett replied. "We have the time."

"Anything you want Kate," Castle murmured against her lips before he kissed her. At the same time he began to thrust inside of her, groaning heavily in pleasure as she cried out into his mouth. Though they'd had each other fairly shortly before that moment it wasn't any less pleasurable and he moved down as deliberately as he could, loving the feel of her sex along him. That time he could feel her more definitively and he enjoyed the sensation greatly.

Holding onto the back of her husband's head Beckett gasped out and moaned when they had parted from their kiss. She was feeling him as easily as he was her and it was nearly making her head spin. But she was soon forgetting that as all of a sudden his lips were on her breasts and neck and she cried out for a moment before he was taking her right nipple into his mouth. She held him tighter against her, feeling the lower halves of their bodies rubbing up against each other. Her eyes nearly rolled into the back of her head before he was moving to her other breast to stimulate it. She stroked at his head and shoulders in a weak attempt to distract herself from the heat centered directly where he was making love to her but it didn't really work.

Though Castle was more than tempted to hold back on the inevitable he knew they didn't have time for that. So instead he just focused on trying to get her to an orgasm that she would relish. He reached in between them, fondling her breasts carefully before going lower to her abdomen, raking his nails over the skin and loving the way it danced in response to him. He finally reached the apex of her legs and there he began to stroke her, doing so very gently and watchfully as he didn't want to end up hurtling her over the edge. He was startled when she made him stop and pushed him away. "You don't want to-" he began once he was out of her body.

"I got an idea," Beckett told him easily. She then got up on her knees and kissed him before moving to slide off the bed. "Come on," she told him as she looked back to find him staring at her.

Castle was thoroughly confused as they came to the shower, wanting to guess she was finished and was ready to wash up but thinking it couldn't be that. As she leaned into the stall he couldn't help it, reaching down and firmly grasping her ass with his hand, squeezing it.

Beckett allowed her husband that and was about to comment on the fact that he was a pervert when there was a sudden smack and she was crying out in surprise as her ass tingled in response to his hit. "Pervert," she then told him plainly.

"What do you expect?" Castle told her simply. "You leave me hanging…"

"For the moment," Beckett said, turning to him and wrapping her arms around him. Instead of kissing him she then said seriously to him, "You can fuck me here."

Castle wasn't sure at first if his mouth had dropped open to that but he guessed not since when he followed her under the hot water there was water against his lips and not in his mouth. He then quickly moved to press his wife against the wall before he kissed her deeply on the lips. As soon as they had parted he quickly picked her up so she could wrap her legs around his waist before he was sinking into her body. Groaning in his pleasure at the feel of her yet again he didn't waste time and began to move as hard as he possibly could, breathing roughly instantly before he kissed her deeply.

Fighting against him at that point Beckett was doing her best to move in time with him though it was a little difficult. It took her a bit but she finally managed to get to his pace and relished the feel of their bodies rapid together and the sound of their hips smacking wetly. She was lost to time as Castle was kissing her wherever he could manage to reach until finally everything in her broke and she destroyed the rhythm they'd managed. Her voice crying out her husband's name was echoing against the walls of the shower until his mixed with her, saying her name. She nearly clawed at his back as the ecstasy that tore through her was intense and was making her dizzy. She wasn't able to recover until finally her body stopped and she remained limp against him before finally he thrust against her a few more times and then stopped.

A little shaky Castle and Beckett left the shower but they were sated as they began to dry off each other and then redressed. They paused before they left the bathroom and kissed hungrily before they quickly parted and went downstairs as by the time they'd stopped they'd looked at the time and saw it was close to nine thirty.

"So," Beckett said with a smile as they went into the kitchen to get some water to drink.

"So," Castle said, standing close to her and wrapping his arm around her waist.

"I'm holding to my promise for tonight," Beckett told him.

"I love how you did that right when we were with our families," Castle replied with a smile.

"They didn't understand me," Beckett said with a returning smile. "It's why I spoke in Irish."

At that moment, just as Castle was about to lean over and kiss her, the tone for the gate intercom rang and he groaned heavily in disappointment. "Okay, tonight," he said as he noticed that his wife was giving him a look.

Beckett shook her head slightly before she started to walk over to the front door and pressed the button next to it. "Rebecca?" she asked.

"And David," the man said in mock annoyance. "Oh, also Dani too."

"Come in guys," Castle then said, watching as Beckett pressed the button to open the gate. He opened the front door then and they waited for their friends to come up to them as Macca watched sitting next to them.

"So how are we doing this?" David asked them once they had greeted each other and were inside, removing their outer layers as Beckett was taking the baby out of her carrier.

"What no sitting to get caught up and gossip?" Rebecca asked her husband though she was watching her friend with a smile on her face as Beckett was holding Dani above her head before holding the baby against her shoulder.

"Gossip? You guys might be doing that on your own," David replied.

"Yeah we'll take care of the stuff outside," Castle added. He was standing in front of his wife and kissing Dani's cheek before she giggled at that.

"So that's how it's going?" Rebecca asked as Beckett kissed her daughter's cheek before handing her to her. "The women inside and the men out in the cold?"

"You want to reverse that?" Castle asked her.

"Why not," Rebecca replied. She then laughed and said, "You're not saying much Kate."

"I don't have much to add," Beckett said. "We should get started before we have to go."

"You think it's going to take that long?" David said. "Because if you wanted to participate in the contest you missed your chance."

"We're not going to be as elaborate as the O'Hares," Castle replied. "And it's simple decorations. We'll get the boxes we have for outside. I guess we'll see you after we're done."

"We'll check on you two," Beckett said with a slightly wry smile at her husband.

"She's right we need to I think," Rebecca said. She waited for their husbands to leave and said, "I have a blanket and some toys but I hope Macca will keep an eye on her."

"Why didn't you bring Lily?" Beckett said as she led her friend to the family room.

"I don't know, it didn't come to mind before we left," Rebecca answered. She took the bag that her friend had brought with them and let Beckett shake out the blanket inside for her before setting Dani down. She smiled as Macca came over and sniffed at the baby before lying down next to her. "Okay so what'll we do now?" she said as she looked around and saw the furniture still in the room.

It was then that Beckett realized what she and her husband had forgotten to do and she said, "I think I better go get them."

"You were going to take all the furniture out?" Rebecca asked her.

"We were but we were working on lunch today and tomorrow," Beckett said at the doorway to the room.

"More than that," Rebecca added as she picked her daughter up from the floor.

"You can tell," Beckett stated instead of asking.

"I'm a woman, so I can," Rebecca replied. "But you're lucky."

Beckett glanced back at her as she could tell there wasn't a reason for the woman to think that and she said, "So are you it looks like." She wasn't surprised when Rebecca smiled at her before she left and stepped outside.

"Hey love, anything wrong?" Castle asked after he had spotted her stepping off the porch. "What do you think?" he asked her before she could answer his question.

"It'll look like a cemetery in the dark," Beckett replied, looking at the black tarp that they'd set out around the tree in the middle of the driveway and a space in front of the garage. "I like that you have real rocks," she added.

"Us too," Castle said. "So you came out already to check on us?"

"No, we need you to help us move everything out of the family room," Beckett said, looking at him in the eye.

"Oh… yes, that's true we need to get the stuff out," Castle said to David who was watching them.

"Interesting you forgot," the man said to the two as he followed them back inside.

"I know, it is isn't it?" Castle said. He smiled at his wife when she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye before they went into the family room.

Rebecca, holding Dani, was watching as Castle and David took the couch, armchairs and coffee table out of the room at Beckett's direction, following them to the office where they set everything down. "You're going to lock that right? I wouldn't put it past everyone to try and get a look at your sanctuary," she commented.

"Sanctuary? You mean where we argue about our creativity?" Castle asked her.

"How much do you argue exactly?" David asked as they went back to the front door together.

"Not that much but it does happen," Beckett replied. "Go and finish the graveyard, we'll see you back inside."

"To help out in here?" Castle asked.

"Who do you think will finish first?" David said then.

"Would you go," Rebecca told her husband. "Go and finish and no competition please!" When their husbands were outside she said, "Luckily they don't try that too often."

"We better get started ourselves," Beckett told her. "Before they come in and we're still working."

"Wouldn't matter if we were," Rebecca said though by the time she'd spoken they were back in the family room. With Dani sitting up on the blanket she helped Beckett get the first of the decorations, panels for the windows that had scenery of a landscape with a lightning storm, on them.

"Rick wanted me to thank you guys for finding this if I remembered," Beckett said after she'd taped the last one in place.

"I'm glad we got those too," Rebecca said. "Can I ask you something though?" she said as she went to help her place black fabric over the shelves of the bookcases on either side of the TV, covering the books and setting a few items here and there in front of it. When she saw that Beckett was looking at her she asked, "Do you mind this?"

"The party?" she asked, startled by the question.

"No just being a civilian," Rebecca clarified.

Beckett smiled at that before saying, "No I don't. At the end of the day I was always a civilian so to be able to focus on my family is interesting but I do love it."

"And writing?" Rebecca said.

"That too," Beckett answered, laughing slightly.

"Great just checking," Rebecca replied, looking over at her daughter and smiling as Macca was letting Dani pat his side.

"Rick does that too," Beckett said, finishing covering the TV. "But he thinks he's to blame if there's ever a chance I feel dissatisfied with my life. So I have to reassure him too of course."

"Of course," Rebecca said. "What next?"

"We need to get the tables out and then cover them and get the chairs out," Beckett said. "The tables being less of a problem than the furniture."

"I got that," Rebecca said with a nod. "Is it okay to leave her?"

"He'll watch her and everything's in the living room," Beckett told her.

"Okay," Rebecca said as that was only past the parlor room that was in between it and the family room.

"Stay Macca, good boy," Beckett called to him. They went to the next room and began to bring everything over, making sure to listen with her friend for Dani. She wasn't surprised though when the baby was fine as they moved back and forth between the rooms and they were able to watch her when they remained to cover the tables and set up chairs.

"So the games will be next door?" Rebecca said when they had finished and looked around at their work.

"The biggest room downstairs," Beckett replied. "Good area for them all to run around. You might want to watch her though," she said, looking down with a smile at the baby who was crawling off the blanket as Macca moved in front of her to stop her, barking and pressing his paws on the ground.

"Thank you Macca," Rebecca said, bending over and picking up her daughter. She kissed her cheek as the baby giggled heavily and then said, "Should we check on our husbands?"

"Probably," Beckett said before they went out to the entry. She waited after she had on her navy coat to let Rebecca bundle up her daughter before they went outside. "Wow," she commented with a smile at how much the front had been transformed. "You did great with the cemetery."

"After a lot of trial and error," Castle said.

"Yeah mainly where we wanted to put the tombstones," David said. "But we have the lights up and the bats in place. Last thing we need is the bushes."

"I can help you with that," Beckett said as she watched David kiss Dani on the forehead.

"So you finished?" Castle said to his wife as they went to where the orange and black lights were on the porch.

"We wouldn't have come out with the baby if we weren't," Rebecca said, going over to sit on one of the benches with Dani on her lap. She watched them getting the lights wrapped around the shrubs and called, "Love the idea of black and orange gumdrops." She laughed slightly when the three looked at her at the same time and then said, "So are you going to ever dance again?"

"You mean Ballroom?" Beckett asked.

"Exactly," Rebecca replied.

"We're going to join you in the class," Castle said. "And if you're also talking about the Quickstep… I don't know; think we should show them at the party?" When his wife looked at him with wide eyes he said, "Then how about once we're all home after the dance class but before the others get here from the city."

"Fine," Beckett said simply. She didn't look at her husband at first but eventually glanced his way and smiled at him briefly before they focused on covering the last shrub. Once they had they all looked around the front to see how things had come out, checking things closely as she knew the others were doing too.

"Well it won't scare them," David said, bouncing Dani on his hip a little as he'd taken the baby from his wife. "But since they're young that's the point."

"It'll be a little creepy," Castle said. "Which is what we're going for."

"You brought the fog machines right Dave?" Rebecca asked her husband.

"Sure," David replied, looking around them.

"We ran over to get them," Castle said laughingly. "Macca!"

Whistling as the Wolfhound was sniffing around some of the fake tombstones Beckett put her hand on the back of his head as he sat next to her saying, "Would you like some coffee before you head back home?"

"We can also offer sandwiches," Castle said after David and Rebecca had agreed to that and they were walking back into the house. "A lot of sandwiches."

"We made them for today and tomorrow," Beckett added.

"Aren't we having pizza?" David asked. "And tea sandwiches?"

"We are but these are less artisanal," Castle said. "But they're good, I promise you."

"We'll pass," Rebecca said laughingly. "We'll stick with the coffee. By the way, speaking of catering they're still arriving at five?"

"They are, my mother's taking over getting things set up in the dining room for a buffet," Castle said as he went to the coffee machine. He heard Dani cooing and looked over at Beckett, seeing that she had taken the baby and was kissing her on the cheek while she was holding on tightly to her hair.

"She always does that to me," Rebecca said, trying to get the strands of hair out of her daughter's fist.

"Julia and Eliza both did it to me," Beckett replied easily. "Mari didn't with you?"

"Of course she did," Rebecca said, giving up finally. "But really, Julia?"

Nodding Beckett explained, "It was a comforting gesture."

"That's true, Mari did that at that age as well," Rebecca said thoughtfully. She opened her mouth to speak again but then hesitated, glancing at her husband.

"You can say it," Beckett said, glancing over at David to see him shaking his head quickly. "You didn't think she'd do that with me because I'm not her birth mother. I had a similar thought," she said, looking to her husband who was glancing at her. After quickly letting him know that she was okay she then continued saying, "Even though she thinks I am her mother. But it just came to her naturally."

"I'm going to ask something," Rebecca said. "And you can throw us out if you want. But do you ever feel jealous of her mother?"

"She won't throw you out," Castle said, finishing the first mug and giving it to Rebecca. "I've asked her that before too."

"And to answer your question, like I answered his, to a degree I am. But only in the fact that she had those first four years with Julia," Beckett said.

"I agree with her on that," Castle said as the two looked over at him. "It would have been great if she were ours, well, our baby I should say. Though in a way she is." He handed David his cup of coffee and started to walk away when he paused. "Where are we going to sit?" he asked his wife.

"The parlor," Beckett said with a slight laugh.

"It's funny you call it that," David said. "We just call ours the dogtrot." He wasn't surprised when Castle and Beckett turned to him at that and he explained, "I loved learning about the west, the old west, and there were log cabins that would have an open room in the middle. That's what they called it and though it's closed up here that's what our room is."

"Interesting but I'm glad our room isn't open," Castle said. "Mind if I take her?" asking his wife as he sat next to her on the couch there.

Beckett handed Dani to him before she watched Macca lean up to sniff at the baby's feet, hearing her gurgle for a moment before she laughed. "Is she still trying to stand?" she asked.

"She's starting to pull herself up a little easier," Rebecca replied.

"We're not quite there yet," David said. "Rebecca told me you're having some extra guests?"

"Just two and we were though they couldn't make it," Castle said as he let Dani hold onto his finger. "Their names are Isabella and Madeline. You never told her about the case?"

"You mean little Isabella?" Rebecca asked. "Your unofficial…"

"I'm not sure what you want to call her in relation to us," Beckett said. "We just look out for her. Madeline's down in the city from Boston to visit a friend and we invited her and her niece over though they weren't able to get here in time."

"When was the last time you saw her?" David asked.

"Two years ago?" Castle asked his wife as they looked at each other.

"Somewhere around there," Beckett said with a nod.

"Do the girls know her?" Rebecca then said.

"Julia does," Castle answered. "And Eliza's not going to remember when she met her; they were one and two so I assume Isabella's not going to either."

"Funny though, Isabella and Elizabeth," David commented.

"I wasn't thinking that when I suggested her name," Beckett replied. "I've just loved the name Elizabeth."

"We're hoping they'll try and visit again but we'll need to see, she's raising Isabella on her own after divorcing her husband when the baby was a year old so traveling is hard for her. So we're hoping like I said. Now we get to ask you something," Castle said. When they all looked at him he grinned for a moment before outright laughing as Dani patted his lips. "Marianne?" he said to his friends.

"Our grandmothers," David said. "Her maternal grandmother was named Mary, mine Anne. We put them together and thought it was a nice name."

"And her middle name?" Beckett asked.

"That we picked at random, he liked the name Charlotte and after a while it grew on me," Rebecca said. "So we used that."  
"I don't think Julia knows Mari's middle name," Castle said abruptly to his wife as she stood to take the empty mugs that their friends were holding.

"No she does," Beckett corrected him. "Did you think she'd start calling her Lottie?"

"Something like that," Castle said. He then explained to them, "I had a friend in grade school that we called Lottie."

"Mari prefers being called… Mari," David said as he followed Castle who was going after his wife into the kitchen. "Mind if I get my daughter back at all?" he said.

"Oh, why not?" Castle said, turning to him and giving him Dani.

"We're going to go," Rebecca said. "We need to get our own lunch and put her down for a nap." She waited for Beckett to set aside the cleaned mugs and said, "We'll see you at a quarter 'til."

"Enough time to set up and say hello to everyone," Castle said. "Thanks for your help."

"We were glad to do so," David said as they walked together to the front door. "And Lily will be with us."

"I keep forgetting she's going with us," Castle commented. "Another Meanie."

"So you'll have a whole group of them," Beckett said, putting her hand on Dani's back. She smiled when the baby turned to her with a smile and babbled a little before yawning. "I think you're right about that nap," she said. She and Castle said goodbye to their friends and as soon as they were gone she turned to her husband and said, "We have a little more time."

"I was thinking about that and why don't we practice?" Castle asked.

"Now?" Beckett replied. Her husband didn't say anything and she hesitated for a moment before sighing and saying, "I can't talk you out of this can I?"

"You don't want to show at least a little of what we learned?" Castle said. "Not for Julia?"

"The problem is dancing in front of everyone else," Beckett said though she'd given him her hand so they could go to the living room.

"I had a feeling," Castle said. "But why don't we dance after the party's over and everyone's back home instead?"

"But our friends will still be here," Beckett said as they stood in the middle of the room, looking at each other. "Did you not get that I don't like to really put myself into the spotlight?"

"No I did, our first time together on TV," Castle said, putting his hands on her back and pulling her close to him. "But you know it's just a little dancing and then we'll stop and do… whatever."

Beckett laughed softly at that and then shared a brief kiss with him before she said, "Okay then we better start before we need to go get Eliza."

Nodding Castle said, "Do you remember how to stay in hold?"

"Of course," Beckett said. "That's the relatively easy part." She let him take her hand before he put his other high on her back. She was almost going to place her other hand directly on his shoulder but put it a little lower before saying, "No music?" She couldn't help smiling as Castle made an annoyed sound in the back of his throat before going to get his phone to set up the song. "This is very weird," she told him as he came back to her and they got into hold again.

"Come on it's fun," Castle corrected her. They began to try to move as they'd been taught by the couple at the B&B but as soon as their feet hit the floor they were startled into stopping by Macca barking at them. "Is it the shoes?" he asked as they let go of one another.

"I think so," Beckett said, shaking her head as she tried to get the dog calmed down. "Maybe we should stop."

"I think better would be to dance without shoes," Castle said simply.

Though she didn't exactly want to take off her boots Beckett followed him to the couch and sat down to remove them. She then realized something she'd noticed as they'd walked over to the couch and reached over, grabbing his knee. "Why are you wearing this now?" she asked, feeling his brace. "The storm?"

"It's going to be another big one, since it's not coming until Friday," Castle replied.

"It's soon enough, I don't know if we should really practice anymore," Beckett said, watching him as he stood up.

"No come on, I'll be fine," Castle told her, taking her hand. "And not for that long."

"I don't know if music is going to help us," Beckett then said.

With a nod Castle went to his phone and stopped the song before going back to her. "So counting better?"

"A lot better," Beckett replied as she got back into hold with him. They began to dance again and that time Macca seemed fine, lying on the ground as he watched them. She had to stop though as they were nearly skipping; one of the few steps they were shown; as she could feel her shoulders beginning to drop. "Keep those up Rick," she told him teasingly.

"It's hard though love," Castle said in mock complaint. "We, what?" he asked as he started to raise his shoulders but she stopped him.

"Maybe I should find that harness they use on the show for your shoulders," Beckett said in the same tone.

"I don't think so," Castle said as he shook his head. He then had them begin again and once they'd stopped to kick their legs a little he said, "The classes do teach this dance."

Beckett waited to reply until they had stopped and said, "I know I saw the list the same as you. You think you'll be okay with the Samba?"

"Julia seems to think so," Castle replied. "But you know we'll be lucky," he told her as they prepared to dance once more.

"Because we have Julia?" Beckett suggested. When her husband nodded she smiled and kissed him briefly before they began again. After a few more times trying to get that she had to stop as she was out of breath and said, "I think that's enough, it's not going to be an actual show."

"See? Just keep that in mind and we'll do great," Castle replied as they walked together to the couch. After they had gotten their shoes on he wrapped his arm around her waist and said, "Are you going to be okay in the dress? It doesn't have the slit Maria's did."

"I will be, I've danced this before," Beckett said.

"Ah but this time we'll be able to move more," Castle said, holding up his other hand.

"Ah, it doesn't matter," Beckett said teasingly. She then leaned against him and said, "You wore me out," with a slight sigh, putting her arms around him and leaning into him.

"When, now or before when-" Castle started to say. He laughed slightly when his wife punched him in the side gently before he let her go to allow her to sit back up. "So before," he said teasingly.

"Yes before," Beckett sighed though she then gave him a little smile. She wrapped her arms around him and kissed him gently before he took over and she was suddenly being laid back as he moved them around on the couch so he could do that. "Wait," she said, pulling away to stop him. "We can't-"

"I know," Castle told her quickly. "But just for now…" He trailed off to let her protest at all but when she brought him back down to her lips he knew she was okay with it and he was soon kissing her again. He nearly broke when he felt her tongue flicking against his lips before she did the same to his tongue, feeling his desire for her rising rapidly. But he just managed to stop himself and he plunged his tongue into her mouth, indulging her desire for them to start playfully dueling; and his own as well. When they needed to part he was breathing hard against her lips and said, "You're uncomfortable aren't you?"

"A little," Beckett confessed. She was relieved when he quickly sat up and she moved to follow him before wrapping her arms around his neck and kissing him that time. Their tongues met again and they were holding onto one another tightly before she realized she wanted more time with him. She tried to remind herself they had that night but it was difficult and it was only when they had parted that she felt more in control. "We should get ready to go," she told him simply.

"Just let me…" Castle said, leaning down to her. He captured her lips but took them very gently and carefully, keeping it tender. He made it as sensuous as possible at the same time before he pulled away from her and then pressed his forehead to hers. "One more thing," he begged her.

"What?" Beckett asked, wondering what he wanted. She watched him take his phone out of his pocket before he stood, bringing her with him. "Again?" she asked jokingly when he set a song to play.

"So is that a no?" Castle replied.

In response to that Beckett wrapped her arms around his neck and once the phone was on a nearby table she felt his hands resting on her back. She pressed her cheek against his and then listened to the opening notes of the song saying, "Should I tell the boys about this? Your propensity for choosing George's more romantic songs?"

"They know I enjoy them," Castle told her. When she pulled back to look at him he said, "The wedding? I didn't choose them of course but I could have easily said no to them."

"But you didn't," Beckett replied.

"I saw no need to," Castle said. He held her close and then started to hum along with the song a little before George Harrison began to sing.

_Let me in here, I know I've been here  
_ _Let me into your heart  
_ _Let me know you, let me show you  
_ _Let me roll it to you_

_All I have is yours  
_ _All you see is mine  
_ _And I'm glad to hold you in my arms  
_ _I'd have you anytime_

Beckett smiled and said, "A little fast for a slow song."

"The lyrics love, you need to listen to the lyrics," Castle said.

Beckett wanted to respond to that but the lyrics were being sung yet again, so she kept silent smiling a little wider as she did as he'd suggested.

_Let me say it, let me play it  
_ _Let me lay it on you  
_ _Let me know you, let me show you  
_ _Let me grow upon you_

_All I have is yours  
_ _All you see if mine  
_ _And I'm glad to hold you in my arms  
_ _I'd have you anytime_

_Let me in here, I know I've been here  
_ _Let me into your heart_

The music eventually faded out and Castle pulled away to look into his wife's eyes saying, "It's not so much the 'I'd have you anytime' line but…"

"It's a part of it," Beckett said, smiling at him lovingly before she kissed him firmly on the lips. "Hmm thank you, that was a beautiful choice."

"Do you think," Castle said as he went to his phone then and paused when he saw the time. "We could have one more?"

"Okay," Beckett said, as she knew he wasn't about to forget picking up their daughter. The opening notes began and she sighed saying, "You're a sappy man Rick."

"And you love me less for that?" Castle asked simply as he wrapped his arms around her while she did the same with him.

Beckett shook her head, listening to him soon begin to murmur the lyrics to her as she pressed as close to him as she could while they began to sway.

_Though she is so beautiful  
_ _But she is so fine  
_ _Yes, she is so beautiful  
_ _And she says, she's mine_

_For her face that shines in the morning glow  
_ _And the outside world will never know  
_ _What she means to me and what I owe to her_

Castle pressed his lips to the side of his wife's head before he moved back a little to look into her eyes. When she looked up at him he wanted to kiss her but instead pressed his forehead to hers, unable to help mouthing the lyrics as they felt especially poignant to him.

_But she is so beautiful  
_ _She is so divine  
_ _Yes, she is so beautiful  
_ _And she's mine, she's mine_

_She can make me smile as we start the day  
_ _And to hear her laugh takes my breath away  
_ _Will I ever find any words to say to her?_

_Though she is so beautiful  
_ _But she is so fine  
_ _Yes, she is so beautiful  
_ _And she's mine  
_ _She says, she's mine_

Once the singing had stopped Beckett waited until the music was over before she said, "I've said that already," reaching up and cupping his cheeks so he could feel her wedding band.

"You did," Castle said, nodding his head. "But I really wish I'd written that one."

"You've said more than enough to let me know how you feel about me Rick," Beckett said, pressing tighter to him though they weren't dancing anymore.

"I need to keep saying it," Rick replied. He thought for a moment while she was studying him and then told her, "Is it weird for me to say I think the divine line makes it work for how I feel about you?"

Beckett wanted to tell him teasingly that it was but found that she couldn't really say it. So she nodded and then said, "You've said something similar to me before, many times."

Studying her Castle said, "You've never said you want me to stop."

"I've told you before," Beckett replied. "I've never been worshiped, literally."

"I have to wonder if-" Castle started to say before his wife was covering his mouth.

"Do not think I want you to stop fucking me," Beckett said as firmly as she could manage. "I want that tonight in fact."

"You're sure?" Castle asked, though his voice was still muffled by her.

"Yes," Beckett said simply as she moved her hand. She smiled when her husband held it and then began kissing at it before he held it with his own. She was finding it a little hard to breathe as her husband's gaze was intense at that moment and she murmured, "Oh god, we… we have to go."

Looking at his phone Castle said, "We still have time."

Beckett wanted to ask him how he was aware of that when he hadn't turned it on but he was moving her back to the couch and she said, "We can't-" She was cut off when he sat down and then pulled her onto his lap. She was about to stop him but gave up the second he kissed her. It was a rough kiss and she was a little unsure if it was such a good idea for them to engage in that when it had to nearly be time to go. But her husband was making it harder and harder for her to stop him and finally she gave up before they parted from each other.

Running his fingers over his wife's lower lip gently Castle moved his hand then to her back and pulled her into him before they kissed again. That time he did his best to keep things as careful as possible, knowing if didn't things would get too intense. He wasn't sure how many times they kissed after that and once they'd stayed apart long enough for him to speak he told her, "I think we need to go." As soon as he said that he heard the alarm on his phone ringing and after his wife pressed a quick kiss to his lips before standing he said, "You thought I would just forget?"

"No but I didn't expect you to use your phone," Beckett said as she followed him to the doorway once he'd turned off his alarm.

Almost as soon as it was off Castle was receiving a text and he read it, frowning and saying, "It's Madeline, she's sure she can't make it now."

Going over and taking it Beckett saw that he was right and sighed saying, "I'm not surprised. I wasn't sure why she was so eager to come out here when we barely know her while she's staying with a friend."

"We'll see her again I'm sure," Castle replied.

"We likely will," Beckett said, nodding her head as she continued out to the entry.

Castle was behind his wife and looked back at Macca who was following him before he paused.

"What?" Beckett asked when she realized she was the only one walking.

"Think we can bring him with us?" Castle asked.

Glancing at the dog Beckett smiled and sighed saying, "I think we can but you need to get him ready."

"Right away love," Castle said, running past her. But before he could get past her he was nearly skidding to a stop and looked at her questioningly.

"Your knee Rick," Beckett told him simply.

"It's fine…" Castle began before he let her lead him and Macca to the entry where he got Macca's sweater back on him and his leash before handing him to Beckett. "Who's going to stay with him?"

"You," Beckett replied with a smile. "Unless you want to Roshambo for that?"

"I'm good waiting," Castle said as they left the house then since he was ready. He had to lock the door so she was already ahead of him as he hurried to catch up to her outside of the gate. After making sure that it had closed behind them he took her hand and entwined their fingers, pulling her against his side as they smiled at each other.

Sharing a kiss Castle and Beckett quickened their pace towards the school, ready to get their daughter and start their plans for the holiday in earnest with their family and friends.


	14. All Dressed Up

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Dead Man's Party by the band Oingo Boingo, from their album with the same name as the song.

Stepping out from her classroom with the rest of the students Eliza looked down to the entrance of the building wondering if both her parents were going to be there. When she was close enough to see the parents and nannies waiting there she gasped and waved to her mother, remaining with her class until her teachers allowed her to go over to Beckett. "Hi Mommy!" she cried, throwing her arms around her.

"Hey sweetie," Beckett said before she picked up her daughter. She kissed her cheek and said, "How was your day?"

"Good, see my hair?" Eliza asked as they went outside.

"I do, I'm glad that the curls stayed," Beckett told her with a smile. She kissed her again and then set her down saying, "Look who came with us to see you."

"Macca!" Eliza said excitedly before she ran to the dog.

Watching with a smile as the toddler hugged Macca tightly Castle said jokingly. "And what about me?"

Giggling Eliza turned to him and said, "Hi Daddy!"

"Hey sweetheart," Castle told her, handing the leash to Beckett before he picked up their youngest. He threw her up into the air a little before he shared a kiss with her. "Ready to go?" he asked.

"Yeah," Eliza said. She looked over at her mother and said, "Mommy I'm hungry."

"I know and we'll eat lunch right now," Beckett assured her before they started to walk back home.

"Wait until you see the house," Castle said. "We decorated it and it's all ready for Halloween."

"I wanna see," Eliza said eagerly.

"We will right now," Castle told her when he saw they were nearing the gate. He opened it and then followed Beckett inside after she had let Macca off his leash. He looked to Eliza to see her reaction and when she started kicking her legs for him to put her down he quickly did so, watching her run over to the middle of the driveway. "So I think she likes it," he told his wife as they walked after their daughter.

"I think so," Beckett replied, smiling at him. She took his hand and then followed Eliza to the space in front of the garage.

"What do they say?" the toddler asked as she touched one tombstone.

"They're supposed to be funny names," Beckett said, looking at her husband as he and David had picked them out at a nearby Halloween store.

"That one you're touching says Ima Goner," Castle said. "Just a joke."

"And bats," Eliza said, pointing to the ones hanging around the front. "And lights!" she cried, running to one of the bushes near the house.

"You'll see it tonight," Beckett said, unable to help smiling again at her exuberance.

"And Jules?" Eliza asked.

"Of course and your gram, grandpapa, the boys, Jenny, Lanie and-" Castle started to say.

"You should have just told her everyone was going to see it," Beckett interrupted him, shaking her head with a smile. "For now let's get inside and get her lunch." She took Eliza's hand and they walked inside the house with Castle and Macca following.

"Should we take off her costume?" Castle said once they were walking down the hall to the kitchen after getting everything put away in the closet in the entry.

"Do you want to keep wearing it?" Beckett asked the toddler. When Eliza shook her head she picked her up and told her husband, "We'll be right back."

"I'll start getting everything set," Castle replied before he went to the kitchen while she took their youngest upstairs. He set the table and got the food and drinks out, just finishing by the time he felt Eliza throwing herself at him and hugging his leg tightly. "Hey sweetheart, you kept your curls?" he asked her when he looked down at her.

"She wouldn't let me brush them out," Beckett said in amusement, behind them then. She watched as Castle helped their daughter into her chair and shared a kiss with her. When he straightened up she pulled on the sleeve of his shirt until he stepped up against her and they kissed one another gently though lingered for a little longer than they normally did in front of their daughters.

When they'd finally parted Castle looked with her at the same time to Eliza who was beaming up at them before he cleared his throat to say, "I think we've desensitized her to this."

"That's fine," Beckett said, sitting down next to her, her husband to her left. "She should see that it's not something that's wrong."

"Why Mommy?" Eliza asked, knowing they were talking about her.

"So when you get much older you know what it's like when you're in love," Castle said. "Right?"

"With a boy?" Eliza said. When her parents looked at each other she said, "Don't wanna."

"I was the same when you were that age," Beckett said with a soft laugh. She couldn't help laughing again when the toddler looked at her with wide eyes and said, "Yes I am married now to a boy even though I thought that. But that's later for you."

"Much," Castle said.

"Would you stop?" Beckett said. "You're not keeping her in a convent-like atmosphere Rick."

Smiling as he could tell from his wife's tone that she was kidding Castle reached for her hand and kissed the back of it saying, "When you're older Eliza."

"I think she lost interest in the conversation," Beckett said in amusement when she saw that their daughter was looking at the cross section of her sandwich. "He used fig jam sweetie, the kind you like," she told her. "So eat before I take it for myself."

Eliza wrinkled her nose as she smiled at her mother before taking a quick bite and then chewing. She watched her parents start to eat, smiling again at the glances they shared. She then looked over at Macca who was looking up at her and pinched off some bread, dropping it to him.

"Eliza," Castle said slightly sternly. "You know you're not supposed to give him people food."

"She knows and she won't do it again," Beckett said, looking at the toddler who then nodded rapidly. "Good. So tell us all about school today we want to hear how it went."

Since she wasn't in school for very long it didn't take Eliza much time to tell her parents about what she'd done and when she finished said, "Billy laughed at me."

"Oh?" Beckett asked as she carefully wiped her mouth clean since she'd finished her sandwich. "Eat your last carrot sweetie."

"He said my dress was funny," Eliza replied.

"To him it was but he shouldn't have laughed," Castle said, not surprised when his wife put her hand on his arm.

"Mrs. Hughes said about my dress," Eliza then said, blushing a little.

"She taught you about the dress you were wearing?" Beckett asked. When the toddler nodded she smiled and said, "Good, did she mention that for a long time little boys wore dresses too?"

"Yeah we saw pictures," Eliza said. "And Billy said sorry."

"Oh good," Castle commented as he stood up then to begin clearing the table.

"He said he doesn't wanna wear dresses," Eliza said carefully. "Me too."

"I'm not surprised," Beckett said with a slight laugh as she waited for the toddler to finish her carrot before she helped her down. "Your sister and I were talking about that before."

Nodding Eliza then went into the kitchen with her, watching her parents clean up as Macca sat next to her. When they had finished and were walking to her she said, "Don't wanna Mommy."

"You don't need to," Beckett said simply before she reached down and picked her up, kissing her cheek tenderly. "You don't seem tired at all."

"So now what?" Castle asked.

"We can carve her pumpkin," Beckett said, making sure of the time and seeing they had enough.

"Great let me get the tools ready," Castle said, clapping his hands together.

"What do I do Mommy?" Eliza asked as her mother took her over to the island where she set her down.

"You can help but first let me get your painting shirt on you," Beckett said, placing an old shirt her big sister had outgrown onto her. "So we don't ruin your clothes with pumpkin."

"Here it is," Castle said, showing the gourd to his wife. "All ready to go."

"Can you make the birdie?" Eliza asked hopefully.

"I can but we have to empty it out," Castle told her. He cleaned it and cut the top off and then brought the pumpkin next to them before Beckett set out a sheet of newspaper for them. "Ready?"

"Yeah!" Eliza said enthusiastically as she was already starting to reach inside the vegetable.

"Okay I guess we'll let you handle this," Castle said, watching with his wife in amusement as the toddler's expression suddenly became one of disgust.

"Too slimy sweetie?" Beckett asked, trying not to laugh out loud.

"Yeah, help Daddy," Eliza replied. "You too Mommy."

With that Castle and Beckett helped their daughter in getting the insides out of the pumpkin until he got it as clean as possible. He then marked the raven stencil that Eliza had picked out on the pumpkin before going over to her. "You remember what your mother and I told you about when you asked to carve with us," he told her seriously.

Nodding Eliza couldn't help squirm a little on the counter before her father sat down at the chair next to where her mother was sitting. Once she was on her lap she waited eagerly as he picked up a knife and she placed her hand on his as her parents had told her she could do. She watched the instrument cut into the orange flesh and squealed lightly when she saw the hole they had made. "More Daddy? Please?" she asked.

"One more and then I think we should let him work on the smaller pieces," Beckett suggested.

"Thank you," Eliza said as her father moved the knife over to the left side of the raven. When Castle had given her the piece they'd cut out she studied it closely, rubbing her fingertips along the inside of the pumpkin as she settled on her mother's lap.

"Eliza," Beckett had to say slightly sternly as she looked to see the toddler was about to put the inside of the pumpkin of the piece in her mouth. "It's not good to eat."

"But the pies Mommy," Eliza protested.

"You need to bake that before you can eat it," Castle said. "And cook pumpkin too if you're eating it not in a pie."

"Here we better set this aside," Beckett told her gently, taking the piece out of her hand. She set it aside before she then turned her attention to the pumpkin as Castle was finishing it and said, "Look at your pumpkin now sweetie."

Eliza clapped her hands together and then leaned over to her father until he bent his head so she could kiss him on the lips. "Thank you Daddy!" she said happily. "I like it, very pretty."

"It is you did a nice job with it," Beckett said as she watched him start to smooth out some of the edges of the shapes. "Are you going to be okay doing this again later?"

"I think so," Castle said, knowing she had meant that as a more rhetorical question. He leaned over to her and kissed her temple before he murmured into her ear.

Watching them Eliza tugged on her mother's sweater and said, "Why Mommy?"

"Because I wanted to," Castle explained for his wife. "You should know, if you love someone like your mommy and I love each other, there's no reason not to share a kiss like that every once in a while."

Eliza smiled at that and giggled before her mother kissed the top of her head before getting off the chair. "I wanna do that again," she said once she was on the floor.

"After we go get your sister," Castle told her, cleaning up the counter with Beckett. When they had finished and he looked at his watch he thought for a moment before saying, "Time to play still."

"I know," Beckett told him with a smile. "And if you're saying that to ask if she needs a nap…" She looked with him over at their daughter who was jumping around with Macca and then said, "I think she's good still."  
"Board game?" Castle asked her, knowing that would keep her calmer and keep her from losing that energy before the party.

"Yes," Beckett replied before they went together over to their youngest to take her into the family room to pick out a game.

Eliza was more than happy to play Chutes and Ladders with her parents but she was more so when her father said they needed to get to the school soon. "Grandpapa?" she asked her father as she hurried after him when he went to put the game away.

"He's here," Beckett said, hearing the door open before Macca ran over to it, barking. "And your gram too, hello Martha," she said as she saw her mother in law walking in first ahead of her father.

"Hello," Castle's mother said, watching as Eliza rushed out to them. "I assume you had a great day?"

"Yeah I like my hair," the toddler told her seriously.

"Well I'm glad to hear that," Martha said, picking her up and hugging her before she handed her to Jim.

"Did you get pictures?" Eliza asked, touching the top of his camera.

"Oh I did but we'll look at them tomorrow," Jim told her. "When we're not excited about Halloween."

"My pumpkin!" Eliza then said, recalling the jack o' lantern.

"We'll need to wait until we're back," Beckett said. "We have to go now or we'll be late for the start of your sister's class." She wasn't surprised when Eliza frowned a little as she was set down but after she was helping her into her jacket she told her, "You'll have a chance to show them when we're home. For now let's go see Julia dance."

"Kay," Eliza finally said, reaching up to take her mother's hand. She walked with her parents, her grandparents behind them, until they reached the school. She was allowed to go ahead of everyone though there still a few last minute students in the quad in front of the high school where the dance class was. She had to wait for her father to open the door but as soon as it was she was rushing inside and going straight to her sister who was standing with Mari and Peter.

"Hey you made it," Julia said, hugging her sister back and laughing as she was nearly knocked off balance by the force of her embrace. "We're gonna start soon," she told her parents as they walked up to them.

"Is everyone changing?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"They couldn't wear their costumes," Julia explained. "And dance. I could but I had to take off my pantalets."

"I see that but you're going to need to put them back on," Castle told her.

"Mommy-" Julia started to say in complaint.

"Sorry but he's right, it's cold outside and you'll need them for warmth," Beckett told her firmly. "But for now go ahead and dance."

"By the way," Martha interjected as she and Jim stepped up to hug their granddaughter. "What are you dancing to today?"

"You'll see," Julia replied, hugging her grandfather tightly. After they were sitting on the steps she smiled at her partner and friend and said, "I hope they show us tonight."

"They won't show me," Peter said. When the two girls looked at him he shrugged and said, "They'll show your family."

"Maybe I can ask them to show you too," Julia said in a questioning suggestion. She wasn't surprised when her partner looked doubtful at that but couldn't reply to it as they were turning their attention to their teacher as the other students came out from the changing rooms.

When they heard that Ms. Grey was going to be going over the Quickstep with the students Castle and Beckett exchanged a look before the teacher was speaking again. And when she explained that Julia had requested it they then looked at their daughter to see that she was smiling sheepishly at them. They shook their heads at her at the same time; smiling at her; and then watched her look back to her teacher as she began to instruct them in their steps.

Julia looked over at her parents whenever she could while she was dancing but soon had to pay attention to the steps. She and Peter were called on to dance in front of the class first so she needed focus on that. When they'd stopped she waved to her parents and was relieved when they waved back, knowing they weren't mad at her.

"Okay," Ms. Grey said as the last pair danced. "I would have us practice a little of the Foxtrot but your parents are expecting you home. Happy Halloween and we'll be back without costumes tomorrow."

As the children laughed and talked to each other while they were going back to the changing rooms Castle and Beckett waited for Julia to speak to Peter before she was hurrying over to them. They left together from the class, walking behind the girls with their parents and watching them talking excitedly about the party that night.

"So are we ready for the party?" Martha asked.

"Before we answer that," Castle said. "Were you able to get the cupcakes?"

"They're in the entry," Martha replied. "On the shelf so Macca won't get them."

"Then we're ready," Beckett answered, smiling at her husband before they soon reached the Foster's home.

"I'll see you at the party," Julia said, hugging her friend tightly. When they pulled away she playfully tugged on one of the two braids in Mari's hair before her friend was pulling one of her curls lightly. They laughed before Mari waved to the others and then hurried down the path to her front door as she watched.

Waving to David who opened the door for his daughter Castle put Eliza down as she'd been on his shoulders and watched her run ahead to her sister. He took his wife's hand and then said to her, "You know what I love?"

"What?" Beckett said in amusement as they were walking behind their parents the short distance home.

"The fact that our daughter's friend is so close to home is great," Castle replied. "If Eliza and Dani are friends then double the friends close to home."

Beckett didn't reply to that, merely patted him on the shoulder before he went to open the gate for them. After the girls had gone around the displays in the front yard together she and Castle were able to get them to walk to the porch. When they were inside the house she watched Macca running around the girls and she whistled, though since Eliza and Julia were squealing as he tried to lick their faces it didn't really work. "Macca," she finally called. "Let's get our coats off and we can have a small snack after okay?"

"What about our pumpkins?" Julia protested before her sister was tugging on her hand.

"Hold on Eliza," Castle said to the toddler. "We'll work on the pumpkins as soon as we're finished with the snack. Now come on I need to get these cupcakes put away," he told them before he led the way over to the kitchen.

Getting together some celery sticks and peanut butter that she gave to the girls and Castle, who'd ended up taking one before she could stop him, Beckett then asked her husband, "Are we talking to Alexis today?"

"She wanted to talk with us once we're ready in our costumes," Castle explained after swallowing his mouthful of celery. "I just need to text her."

"What time is that?" Julia asked, drinking the last of her milk.

"Hopefully by four," Castle replied. "Since then it'll only be around nine for her, so not too late."

"Isn't she going to the costume party at ten?" Martha asked her son.

"She is but she let me know she could be late if she needed to be," Castle said. When he saw that the girls were finished he asked, "Who's ready to make some jack o lanterns?" He laughed when the girls ran to him and tugged at his hands saying they were before Beckett stopped them.

"I'm sorry Julia you need to change out of your dress now," she told her daughter. "And then you can come back to work with them."

Going upstairs with her mother Julia said, "I wonder what they're going to dress up as."

"Who?" Beckett asked, looking at her as they were stepping inside of her bedroom.

"Everyone who's coming," Julia replied. "We never saw them on Halloween before. Do you know?"

"I only know what Lanie's going to wear," Beckett said as she helped her out of the dress. She studied it carefully before setting it aside to clean and then turned to her daughter, "They're interested in seeing your costume."

"Did you tell them what we're gonna do?" Julia asked, pulling on her shirt last and going to her mother.

"No I just said that it was a group costume," Beckett answered. "So they'll be as surprised as your daddy and I will be."

"Good," Julia said, laughing softly before they headed downstairs hand in hand.

When they were rejoined by the two Castle looked up from washing off the last pumpkin and said, "Now we're ready. I'll open up each pumpkin and we'll all take one okay?"

Looking at her grandparents Julia smiled when she saw Martha was sitting at the island with Eliza on her lap, holding a glass of wine. "You're not going to help?"

"Your grandfather is," Martha replied simply, nodding her head.

"Mother," Castle said as he was cutting open the top of his pumpkin first. "There will be children so-"

"Oh you know I wouldn't take things so far, not with my granddaughters around to see," Martha said. "This will be all until the punch at the party."

"It's not going to be spiked," Jim said, looking at his daughter in slight confusion.

"It means that's the strongest liquid she'll drink after this," Beckett said. "Thank you Martha." She smiled when her mother in law waved her hand to them and then turned to her pumpkin which was open by then, reaching down and pulling out some of the seeds once her sweater sleeves were rolled up.

"I did that Gram," Eliza told her grandmother as they were watching the others taking out the insides of the pumpkins.

"You did?" Martha said. When the toddler nodded she kissed the side of her head and said, "I hope you enjoyed it, it's not exactly fun holding that in your hand."

"She was enthusiastic," Castle told her. "That helped us empty out her pumpkin a little faster."

"I think we're doing a good job Daddy," Julia told him. "Thank you for helping Grandpapa."

"It's not a problem," Jim said, shaking off some pumpkin seeds off his hand. "I did this with your mother and grandmother."

"What did you make Mommy?" Eliza asked.

Looking across the island at her Beckett smiled and then said, "Usually just faces."

"Traditional?" Castle asked, standing next to her.

Beckett nodded and then turned to the sink as she had finished emptying her pumpkin. The others finished very quickly after her and once the seeds were disposed of she helped Julia with the pattern for her pumpkin, an owl in flight over a cemetery. "Sweetie," she said, looking at the pattern. "If you have any kind of trouble, tell us okay?"

"I will," Julia promised, watching her cutting the outline of the pattern. After she was done she took the smaller knife that her father handed her and looked up at Jim who was next to her. "You don't have to watch me Grandpapa," she told him.

"I do, go ahead and get started," he replied, nodding to the pumpkin. He watched her begin to cut, making sure she was cutting carefully. Jim delayed carving what was Macca's pumpkin until she was finished, having to help her a few times with the smaller spots.

"Very nicely done," Martha said when Julia turned the pumpkin to her and Eliza, smiling at the toddler when she applauded her sister's efforts. "Look at your mother's haunted house," she told Eliza.

"Yeah, my home," the toddler said.

"Close," Julia said with a soft giggle. "Our home is like that for tonight only."

"Good thing," Castle said, finishing the last space of his mummy complete with a pyramid behind it. "Since I like our house un-haunted."

"Un-word Rick," Beckett said, shaking her head at him. She wasn't surprised when Castle merely shrugged at her before they turned to her father.

"There, thank you for giving me the least complex pattern," Jim said with a nod as he flicked off a piece of pumpkin that had stuck in place.

"It looks great Grandpapa," Julia said, looking at the wolf on the pumpkin. "Perfect for Macca."

"Okay that took a while," Castle said, looking at his watch.

"Now what Daddy?" Eliza asked.

"We get these outside and then wait for everyone to come," Beckett answered for her husband.

"When will we light them?" Julia asked, carrying her pumpkin carefully with the others as they went to the front door.

"Just before five," Beckett replied.

Stepping outside Castle led everyone to the spots he and David had made in front of the eight tombstones for the pumpkins they would both be providing with their families. He directed Jim to set the pumpkin with the wolf on the left hand corner and looked to the girls. "What do you think?" he asked them.

"Perfect, it looks like Macca is protecting the pumpkins," Julia said with a slight giggle.

"Yeah Macca," Eliza said, wrapping her arms around the dog who was with them as tightly as she could. She giggled when he sat down then and she started to climb onto his back.

"Okay," Beckett said, going over to the toddler and stopping her. "He's not your horse." She then looked at the sky as the wind suddenly picked up and told her husband, "We should get back inside."

"Agreed," Castle said simply before he followed her and the others into the house. After the door was locked he said, "Homework?"

Looking at Julia as she had forgotten that in the rush to get the snack and pumpkins done, Beckett was surprised when the little girl merely smiled and asked, "Really?"

"Yeah we didn't get any since it's Halloween," Julia said. "But tomorrow we're going to have double," she said with a groan. "When are you going back to the city?" she then asked her grandparents.

"Not until after your dance class," Jim said.

"I'll probably wait until that long myself," Martha replied, nodding her head once. "When are they going back to the city?" she asked her son and daughter in law.

"Probably once the girls are in school, before lunch," Beckett said. "That's just a guess."

Martha was about to open her mouth to speak when she suddenly heard the tone for the gate and she said, "Well now we don't need to wait anymore for them."

"Hello?" Castle asked, dragging out the o for as long as he could.

"You know it's us," Ryan said in slight annoyance. "Let us in."

Castle pressed the button and asked his wife, "Think he's giving him and Jenny a hard time?"

"Who? Tommy or Esposito?" Beckett asked him. When he raised his eyebrows up and down a couple times she smiled and then led everyone outside where they could see the car that their friends were in pulling up next to the garage. "Hold on you two," she said a little sternly to Julia and Eliza. "Wait until they get out of the car." Luckily they listened to her but once they could see that Lanie was getting out of the backseat she couldn't stop them, letting them run down the gravel path to her.

"Auntie Lanie!" the girls cried before they hugged her as tightly as they could together.

"Hello Julia, Eliza," Lanie said, kneeling in front of them. "Let me look at you two… you're getting so big." She laughed slightly when the two pointed at each other and said, "Both of you." She kissed their cheeks and then stood saying, "Your hair looks beautiful even if you're not in your dresses anymore."  
"You saw?" Eliza asked.

"Your mother sent me a picture," Lanie replied. "Come on, I want to say hi to her okay?" When the two nodded she took their hands and they walked together to the front of the house where everyone else was waiting.

"It's great to see all of you again," Castle said when they were close enough. "Good drive?"

"Yeah, no traffic which helps," Ryan said, shaking his hand before clapping his shoulder quickly.

After hugging him Beckett turned to Jenny who was coming over after greeting Castle and she said, "Hello Tommy, are you excited for tonight?"

Nodding the little boy turned away then, looking at the cemetery behind his mother.

"He'll warm up to everyone," Jenny said.

"Of course," Beckett said, letting go of her after they'd shared a quick hug. "Javi," she said, hugging him briefly. " _Okay_?" she whispered in Spanish to him.

" _No sign I'll tell you more later_ ," Esposito said before they pulled apart. "So this is how your husband does Halloween."

"In the Hamptons," Castle said, letting Lanie go to his wife after he'd greeted her and seeing that Jim and Martha were talking to the Ryans. "And with help from our daughters."

"I'm interested in seeing you dressed up Beckett," Esposito said.

"It's nothing special," Beckett replied, shrugging her shoulders before she hugged Lanie tightly. "How're you doing?" she asked her friend softly though Esposito was walking away from them.

"Alright nothing new boyfriend-wise if that's what you're asking," Lanie said. "So now I can turn my attention to you."

"Okay," Beckett said, looking back to see everyone was heading inside. "But it's getting cold and I'm sure you want to go to your room," she told her, nodding back.

"You're taking me to my room," Lanie said in a mock stern tone of voice though she was smiling slightly.

"Fine," Beckett replied before they turned to go into the house after everyone else. "Rick," she called once she had closed the door after herself since they were last inside.

"Yeah?" Castle asked, looking over to her.

"Can you take them to their rooms while I take Lanie to hers?" Beckett said. At his nod she then led Lanie upstairs first, smiling when she looked back downstairs when she was at the top to see that her father and Martha were ushering the girls to the kitchen to make sure the last things they needed for the party were ready. "So what do you want to know?" she asked once they were in the guest room that Lanie used when she was at the house, closing the door firmly behind them.

"How're things going?" Lanie said simply, putting her suitcase onto the bed and opening it to take out her costume that was on top. "Billie Holiday," she explained to her friend.

"I remember," Beckett replied. "And to answer your question things are… great."

"I'm of course asking a little more than just about your day to day-" Lanie began to say after the costume in its garment bag was hung up.

"But we're together more than just nights," Beckett said simply. She smiled when Lanie glanced at her out of the corner of her eye and sighed saying, "We were together earlier today."  
"Not for the first time," Lanie said. When her friend bit her lower lip she looked at her in surprise and said, "I meant other days, not more than… you're not tired?"

"No," Beckett replied with a smile. "I don't know why but I feel fine, ready for the party."

"And ready for more of course," Lanie said as she then went to hang a blouse in the closet. She wasn't surprised when Beckett didn't reply to that, instead went over to the nearest window to look out. "So you two are in fact doing great," she said.

"We are," Beckett said. "Is that enough, you're reassured?"

"Yes, now go," Lanie said before there was a knock at the door. When she saw the smile on her friend's face then she knew already who was at the door and watched as Beckett opened the door to her husband.

"You've had your… discussion already?" Castle asked.

"We did," Lanie replied before Beckett could say anything. "You can have your wife back."  
"Not exactly what I was here for," Castle replied to that though Beckett was stepping past him and into the hall.

"Eliza," Beckett said when she looked down to where the stairs were and seeing their daughter coming down to them. "Don't run."

"Tommy!" Ryan's voice called from behind them then.

"I don't know, he's out of control and we didn't even give him anything sweet," Jenny said in what sounded like exasperation.

"Maybe we should let the kids play outside?" Castle said a little loudly.

"Great would you mind?" Ryan asked, stepping in the doorway of the room he, his wife and their son would be staying in.

"I'm not taking them," Esposito said.

"Not you, them," Ryan said in exasperation before nodding to Castle and Beckett.

"We'll take him," Castle said, holding his hand out to Tommy who had come running out but stopped seeing them all standing there.

"We might need your help with that though Espo," Beckett said, seeing the toddler was trying to sidle over to him.

"Sure, come on Tommy," Esposito said, reaching for him. He picked up Ryan's son and said, "You want to play with Julia and Eliza?"

"When we get outside I'm sure he will," Lanie said as they headed together down the stairs; Beckett carrying Eliza.

"Ryan and Jenny?" Jim asked as he saw the group at the bottom of the stairs, in the kitchen with Julia and Martha.

"They're going to… unpack, nap? Who knows," Castle answered as he motioned for Julia to join them.

"What are we doing Daddy?" the little girl asked as she hurried over to them.

"We're going to play in the back for a little," Beckett told her.

"Can we fly kites?" Julia asked in excitement.

"It's a little windy for that," Castle said as he looked ahead to the door, seeing how the trees were blowing in the wind. "Why don't we just play fetch with Macca?"

"Do you want to do that?" Julia asked both Tommy and her little sister. When the two nodded; the former a little slowly; she led the way out with the Wolfhound before they waited on the grass for Castle to bring out a tennis ball for them to use.

Watching as Julia was explaining to Tommy to not throw the ball out to the water Lanie said, "She's like you Kate."

"I think it's more that she's the oldest," Beckett said with a smile. "But she tends to like to take control with her friends too."

"At her age?" Esposito said.

"She doesn't push them to do what she says," Beckett replied easily. She then smiled again and said, "They sometimes pretend they're solving a crime."

"What kind of crime?" Lanie said, looking at Esposito in surprise.

"A mix of robberies and Clue," Castle said. "And I mean that literally, who killed Mr. Body."

"Last time it was Tracey in the library with a pipe," Julia said, coming up to them then as the other two were chasing Macca around.

"Do you ever play the game itself?" Lanie asked.

"Yeah but it's fun to pretend too," Julia said. She looked up at the adults and seeing Lanie and Esposito looked surprised she told them, "We just use a stuffed animal for Mr. Body and write down the weapon."

"Their parents are aware of them doing that," Castle said. "Anyways maybe we should get those two before they head down to the beach."

"They won't," Jenny said from behind them.

"I forgot to ask," Beckett said as Eliza and Tommy ran back over to them with Macca following them. "How're you doing?"

Smiling at that, since by then she was three months pregnant, Jenny said, "I'm doing well, a little strained because of Tommy but that's more because he's at a more rambunctious phase."

"Terrible twos really," Ryan said with a sigh as he had joined them while Beckett had been speaking. "You don't have the same problem with Eliza?"

"It wasn't as bad as it sounds like you're going through," Castle said first.

"She has her tantrums but she really needs to be pushed to it," Beckett added.

"I should ask your dad how you were," Ryan said.

"What, you think I was a wild child running all over the place?" Castle asked.

Sharing a look Ryan and Esposito said at the same time, "Yes," as they looked back at him.

"He wasn't," Beckett told them. She wasn't surprised when the two looked at her in disbelief and said, "Ask his mother if you don't believe me, she told me stories about him when Eliza turned two."

"Should we go inside?" Castle then asked his wife.

Looking at her watch Beckett nodded and said, "It's after four now, sure you guys don't want to rest after your drive?"  
"No but should we get ready?" Lanie said. When her friend looked at her she smiled and said, "It sounded like you were going to do that."

"We're calling Alexis after we're dressed," Castle told her. "So we want to get that done as soon as possible so she can go to her party she has."

After the others had agreed to head back in Castle and Beckett took their daughter in first before they headed upstairs after talking to Martha and Jim who were soon following them upstairs.

"How are we doing this?" Castle asked when they were at the top and the boys, Lanie and Jenny were going down the hall.

"I'm taking care of the girls," Martha said. "But Jim, if you care to assist me…"  
"I'll be finished quickly," he told her with a nod. "I'll come over and help you with them."

Watching his mother usher the girls over to Eliza's room Castle turned to his wife and said, "Shall we?"

Beckett looked down at his hand that was held out to her and then grabbed his wrist before she pulled him over to their room. When they were inside she kissed him gently before she heard the door closing behind them. "She asked how we were doing," she said when they had finally parted.

"She always does that, does she not trust me in making sure you're intensely satisfied?" Castle queried as they reluctantly parted from one another.

"She worries I'll revert to how I was before you and I were together," Beckett explained, leading the way to the closet where their costumes hung in preparation. "But I've assured her I can't fake it with you, you know me too well."

"I do," Castle replied. "Every inch of you…"

Beckett breathed in deeply as his hand slipped underneath her sweater to run down her abdomen. She reached up and stopped him, pulling him away before she told him, "We can't."

"I know but you're too hard to resist Kate… too hard," Castle said as he shook his head and cupped her cheek with his hand.

"Just one-" Beckett began to say before his lips were capturing her own in an intense and passionate kiss that had them wrapping their arms around each other as tightly as they possibly could.

Tilting his head back and forth with her after a while Castle finally broke the duel their tongues had been involved in so they could catch their breath. He pressed his forehead against hers and told her, "I love you Kate… needs to be said."

Smiling at that Beckett replied, "I agree. And I love you too Rick."

Brushing his lips against hers Castle finally let her go after a final embrace before he watched her walk over to her dress. He was tempted to watch her undress but knew she wouldn't allow him to. So he grabbed his suit and heading out to the bedroom he went to his side of the bed and divested himself of his clothes swiftly before he was pulling on his vest. "You're faster than I am," he commented to his wife to set up what he was going to say next. "Too bad we couldn't play strip poker."

"That would be a short game," Beckett said simply to him, raising her eyebrow slightly.

Studying her Castle soon found that she was serious so he quickly coughed and then said, "It feels weird to be wearing this again though." She then looked at him questioningly and he explained saying, "I feel like we're going to be solving another fake case. We're not right?"

Smiling a little Beckett shook her head and told him, "No but I don't blame you for that. Ready?" she asked as he was putting on his hat.

"Are you?" Castle said since she had on her _beret_ already. When she nodded he then followed her to the door and when they stepped out into the hall he was surprised to see Lanie at the top of the stairs. "Wow great costume, you're… Billie Holiday?" he guessed as she turned to them.

"Great to meet you Bonnie and Clyde," Lanie answered as she studied them walking up to her. "Julia showed me a picture of Maria and Derek," she told them when they looked a little surprised at her knowing who they were supposed to be.

"Glad you like them, is that why you're out here?" Castle asked her.

"It is," Lanie answered. "Plus I wanted to see your girls too; I think your parents are still working on them."

"Then we should see if she's right," Castle told his wife before he reached behind her and placed his hand on her back.

"We'll see you downstairs Lanie," Beckett called. "Martha?" she then said as they reached the doorway to Julia's room.

"You can come in, they're ready," Castle's mother called.

Stepping into the doorway Castle blinked his eyes exaggeratedly and mocked rubbing them before saying to his wife, "Paul McCartney is in our house Kate."

"So is Jeremy," Beckett said, smiling widely at their daughters. "Wow, Martha you did an… amazing job. Eliza come here," she said, motioning to the toddler who was standing with her sister in the middle of the room.

"I'm Jeremy," Eliza corrected her mother before walking up to her. She giggled as her parents ran their hands over the fur of her 'suit' that was the same shade of brown as the character in the movie, though she had brown tights on from her knees down. "See my ears?"

"Magenta, just like the movie and your poufy tail is the same color too," Castle said with a slight laugh. "It looks great Mother. Now, Paul, come here."

"One thing," Beckett said to Julia. She then turned to Eliza and said, "Do you mind the face paint?"

"It's kay Mommy," the toddler said, since her face was painted a light shade of blue.

"You remember how to remove that Richard," Martha said to her son.

"Of course," Castle said with a nod. He then turned to Julia as she was walking up to them and said, "Again, another great job."

"The suit was not that difficult," Martha said.

"What about the wig?" Jim asked since he'd helped her get it onto the little girl.

"No there were thousands of wigs at the store I visited, they had the right one just a little trim around the edges and it was ready," Martha told him.

"How do you feel?" Beckett asked, studying her oldest.

Looking down at her long purple suit jacket, light blue shirt, yellow and red tie and khaki pants, Julia nodded and said, "Fab."

Laughing softly as that had been said in a British accent Beckett pulled her daughter to her tightly and said to Eliza, "I'll hug you in a second sweetie."

"She'll pick you up," Castle told her. "And so will I," he said after that, doing so then. "I hope you don't mind if I wait to kiss you."

"No blue lips Daddy," Eliza said. She then looked thoughtful and said, "How does Jeremy say?"

"I don't need a kiss," Julia said, thinking for a moment. "Or else blue will get on your lips?"

"Not bad," Jim said with a smile.

"What're you supposed to be?" Castle asked since he hadn't expected his father in law to dress up.

"According to my granddaughters, an Englishman in New York," Jim said.

"You did love that song," Beckett replied, going to her father and looking at the lapels of his suit, fixing one. "Sweetie, what gave you the idea for this?" she asked Julia who had followed her over.

"The picture of the Beatles with derby hats and umbrellas," the little girl answered honestly before smiling widely.

"Okay, Dad you look great," Beckett said.

"Smashing," Julia said with a British accent.

"I'll agree," Martha said. "Let me go change into mine."

After she'd gone Julia then turned to her mother abruptly and squealed saying, "Mommy you look so pretty!"

"Yeah pretty dress," Eliza said. "Spin Daddy!"

"Hold on," Castle said. "Luckily we knew you two would ask us to do this," he commented as he went over to Beckett and then spun her around once. He wasn't surprised when the girls clapped eagerly at the sight of that and said, "How do we look though?"

"Like Maria and Derek," Julia said, looking very pleased.

"If you were blond Richard," Jim said.

"I had the same thought too," Castle replied with a nod. He then smiled at the girls and said, "We have the hats too."

"They're perfect," Julia said, studying them for a moment. She was about to speak again when she heard someone going down the stairs and said, "Who's that?"

"Lanie, she's going to wait for us I think," Castle said.

"I think we're taking too long so you're probably right," Beckett said to that. "Julia do you mind if we don't wear the masks?"

"That's okay, you didn't like them anyways," the little girl replied. "But you like your dress right?"

"She should, she looks stunning," Martha said, walking to them then.

"Nice Mother," Castle said in amusement as she was dressed in a 60's style dress complete with large earrings and hair. "We seem to be dressing to go along with different eras tonight."

"There's nothing wrong with that, we look wonderful," Martha replied. "Let's go talk with Alexis."

"And show Lanie our costumes," Castle said as he pulled his cell phone from his jacket pocket. He let Beckett explain that statement as he texted his daughter, relieved when he got a quick response as he'd been worried she was going to leave for the party already. "She's ready to talk to us."

"Look at you," Lanie said, smiling as the girls ran up to her. She was already aware that they were dressing as the character they were so she'd seen pictures from the movie already. "Martha, incredible," she said, touching the top of Eliza's head which was covered by the hood of the suit of 'fur'.

"Well I do my best," Martha said. "But look at my son and daughter in law."

"I saw them first," Lanie said, glancing down at Eliza who was touching the sequins on her dress. "You've done a great job."

"She made the costumes for the others too," Julia said. "The others in the band."

"I can't wait to see them then," Lanie told her. "Now go, I'd like a drink of water so I'll let you talk to Alexis."

Leading the others into the family room Castle pushed back the black fabric blocking the TV before he turned it on and they were soon seeing the young woman on the screen. "Alexis or pirate…"

"Grace," Alexis said. "I'm choosing from history."

"Then pirate Grace, great to see you," Castle said. "What do you think?"

"Oh my god," Alexis said when her father had moved out of the way enough for her to see her sisters. She was laughing and smiling before she said, "You look so cute Jules, Lizzy. I can't believe it; it's like looking at Paul and Jeremy. Gram… great job. Oh and I love your costume."

"Thank you kiddo, I'll say the same about yours," Martha replied.

"What's Louis going as?" Beckett asked with a smile.

"The scarecrow from _Wizard of Oz_ ," Alexis replied. "It's an odd costume but he loves watching the movie with his sister, so he wanted to remember that."

"Good choice," Castle said. "You'll be an oddly matched pair though."

"In pictures yes," Alexis replied. "Jim, you look great, it's amazing they chose your costume from a song."

"You knew about that already?" Castle asked in surprise.

"I told her Richard," Martha said. "Since I asked if he'd need help with his costume and he assured me he had everything ready."

"Then Dad, Kate, you look great, all ready to Quickstep," Alexis said, turning her attention to them. "As bank robbers…"

"Dancing bank robbers, so I don't think it counts," Castle said. He laughed when his daughter gave him a look and then said, "How was school?"

"The girls first," Alexis replied. She listened attentively as the girls opened by telling her about the first costumes they'd worn that day and said, "Dad sent me a picture, you two looked so cute. Did he play with your curls?"

"Yeah he bounced them," Julia said.

"He said it was fun," Eliza said, looking back at him.

"It was hard not to resist," Castle said in defense before he smiled as Beckett slipped her hand into his.

"Okay then what about the rest of your days?" Alexis said.

After the three girls had spoken about their days Beckett said gently, "We better let her go we have our party and your sister has hers too."

"I'll talk to you tomorrow though I want to hear all about your Halloween after this," Alexis said.

"We'll tell you," Julia said.

"Promise!" Eliza cried.

"Good I love you Jules, Lizzy, see you tomorrow," Alexis told them.

"Love you 'lexis," the two said together.

After the young woman had told all of them a quick goodnight before she left Castle got the TV off and covered up before they heard the tone ringing for the gate again. He hurried to open it; the others following him to the foyer; before he then opened the front door to let them see outside as the Fosters walked in.

"Now George Harrison's here," Castle said as he saw Mari first. He felt Julia going in between him and Beckett and watched her run out to her friend.

"Don't press against my face," Mari said with a laugh as Julia hugged her. "You're gonna take off my beard."

"You look just like George!" Julia told her.

"And you look just like Paul," Mari said as they studied one another's costumes. She was wearing the brown buttoned and collarless jacket with a green shirt underneath and black pants as George had been drawn with in the movie. She had a wig as well; longer than Julia's and facial hair that her father had drawn on to complete her look. "I can't wait to see Tracey and Dawn."

"I know," Julia said with a smile as they walked up to the house together.

"Your mom and dad look just like Maria and Derek," Mari whispered to her friend.

"I know," Julia said again, laughing as they looked at each other. "So what do you think?" she asked her family.

"Jeremy!" Mari said holding her arms out to Eliza.

Giggling heavily the toddler ran to her and said, "Do I look like him?"

"Just like him, you're like a teddy bear," Mari added, feeling the curls of fur. "Thank you Martha."

"You're welcome I'm glad that jacket fit you," she replied, since all she'd had to do for Mari's costume was to cut off the collar of the jacket. "But you three look wonderful I think we should take pictures."

"So you're just ignoring the fact I'm holding a Meanie?" David asked in amusement.

Rebecca watched as Castle and Beckett went first to Dani, who was wearing a dark blue onesie, a dark blue coat and had a black hat with long ears to it to make her look like the leader of the so called Meanies. "She doesn't mind the hat, which is a relief," she commented. She then went to Lanie and hugged her saying, "It's great to see you again."

"Great to see you, you and your husband look very authentic," Lanie said, as the couple was dressed up from the fifties again.

"Thank you, you make a great Billie Holiday," Rebecca said.

"She's right, you do," Esposito said from behind them.

"Is that yours?" David asked, seeing the man was dressed in battle fatigues.

"It is, still fits," Esposito answered, looking at Ryan who he'd come down with; as well as Jenny and Tommy.

"I was wondering what your son would dress up as," Castle said as he and Beckett went over to them. "Wasn't expecting Inspector Clouseau," he said.

"He started watching the cartoons and was hooked," Jenny said, smiling at her son. "That moustache might not last," she commented as they watched the toddler reaching up to pat it. "But you and Kate look amazing."

"They're supposed to look like Maria and Derek," Julia said. "Daddy…" she began before he handed her his phone. She was quick to get a picture and then showed it to Ryan and Jenny; dressed as Frankenstein and the Bride of Frankenstein. As they were looking at the picture she said to Esposito, "I'm glad you wore that."

"You asked," he replied with a slight smile. Looking down at Eliza who was touching the camouflage pattern on his sleeve he said, "I think she is too."

"Probably," Beckett said. Before she could say anything else there was another tone from the gate and she said, "That's the caterers."

"I'll handle this," Martha said. "But you didn't get Macca ready."

"His ears!" Julia said, hearing her sister gasping too at that. She couldn't help but giggle before she hurried into the office where the hat was. "Daddy?"

"Macca," Castle called to the dog who was sniffing at that moment at Lily's ears that were on her head. "She doesn't mind them?" he asked David and Rebecca.

"If she hasn't taken them off then no," David replied.

"Stay still Macca," Eliza said sternly to the dog as Castle knelt to tie on the Mickey Mouse looking ears on him. "The last Meanie!"

"You're good Meanies though," Mari said, speaking to her sister who was in Lanie's arms. She smiled when Dani babbled before turning to her mother and reaching out to her.

"Let's head into the family room," Beckett said as she noticed Martha was appearing in the doorway with the caterers behind her. "So we can get out of the way."

"You're sure your house is going to be able to hold so many people?" Esposito asked.

"It will," Beckett said with a nod.

"Who is coming besides us?" Jenny asked, sitting down in a chair as Lanie handed her Dani.

"My friends Tracey and Dawn, John and Ringo," Julia answered from the doorway where she and Mari were watching the caterers going to the living room at Martha's direction. "My partner Peter."

"Partner?" Esposito asked.

"Her dance partner," Lanie said quickly. "I'm looking forward to meeting him. You two didn't want to dress like Maria and Derek? Or… who's the other woman she likes from the show?"

"Jennifer," Beckett said.

"We talked about it but he wants to be a samurai this year and I wanted to be Paul," Julia said. "But next year we're gonna dress like Jennifer and Derek did for their Rumba."

"What?" Castle asked, looking over at her.

Giggling with her friend and little sister Julia then said, "I'm kidding Daddy, we're gonna dress like they did for… the Viennese Waltz or the Paso Doble."

"Either dress I can make more suitable for a ten year old Richard," Martha said.

"And Kate," Castle said, looking at her. "Don't think I'm alone in wanting her dressing her age."

"I knew she could do that already love," Beckett said, not missing the boys glancing at her at her endearment. "Guys, it's what I call him."

"Still?" Esposito said.

"I think they're still married," Ryan said jokingly.

"Yeah, we are," Castle said in a matter of fact tone, holding up his left hand so they could see his ring.

"Richard, Kate," Martha said as she came to the doorway. "Everything is ready."

"Then we're just waiting for guests," Castle said.

"And was that it?" Ryan asked. "Her three friends?"

"Eliza's friends from preschool," Castle said. "Lucy and Mia."

"So five kids," Esposito said.

"What you want to leave now?" Ryan asked him.

"No I'm just wondering are their parents sticking around?" Esposito said.

"They are," Beckett said, shaking her head at him. "Why do you think we have such a long table?"

"Speaking of guests…" Lanie said as they heard the tone of the gate yet again.

"I hope that's Tracey or Dawn!" Julia said in excitement as she and Mari went after her parents to the front door.

"Looks like it's both," Castle said, watching the two families walking up to them. "David," he said, looking back and seeing that he was coming to them. "We need to get the fog machine set and pumpkins lit."

"Which is why I came," David said with a nod. "Hey Fred, Emma," he called to Dawn's parents that he saw first.

"Looks nice," Fred Turner said, coming over to them dressed in scrubs.

"Interesting costume," Castle said as he and David were setting up the fog machine. He made sure the setting was on the low side before he switched it on and stood saying, "We're ready."

"Who're you supposed to be?" Troy Hubbard, Tracey's father asked. "Mobster?"

"Close," Castle said, getting his phone. He showed the other two men the picture Julia had opened and said, "Bonnie and Clyde, _Dancing With the Stars_ style."

"That would explain your wife," Fred said. "But our daughters look like the band."

"They do," David said, laughing slightly as they walked over to the house.

Castle glanced at Julia and Mari who were with Tracey and Dawn, the latter two looking like John and Ringo from the movie. He wasn't surprised when Eliza joined them and the other two girls hugged her saying to the men with him, "My mother's good."

"I think she's fantastic at that, she did great with Tracey's pants, your daughter's too," Troy said, adding the last to Fred.  
"She did, so those are the people you used to work with," the man then asked Castle.

"Our friends, yeah," he said before they went into the house. As everyone was greeting those they didn't know there was another guest and he opened the gate to reveal it was Peter, his parents and Eliza's friends with their parents. "Everyone's here," he called to his wife.

"Okay we'll let the kids play a little," Beckett said, standing with him at the door. "And then somehow get them to come eat dinner before we start the games."

"You don't want to start them now?" Castle asked her.

"And never be able to get them to stop?" Beckett asked instead of answering.

"Which is why their parents are here," Castle said quickly before they needed to turn their attention to the people coming up to the porch.

Greeting everyone took some time and once they were all inside the family room the adults were watching the kids standing together and talking before Beckett remembered something. "I wanted to get pictures of the band first," she said to the others. "And then get some group pictures." She left them, going over to the office where she grabbed her camera from the shelf she'd placed it on earlier. Turning she saw that Castle was there and said, "We can't really stop to make out," using a teasing tone of voice.

"No but I wanted to run and check on everything in the dining room before you take those pictures," Castle said.

"You don't trust your mother?" Beckett asked with a slightly raised eyebrow as she stepped out of the room and he closed the door.

"I do but we're just making sure," Castle said, leading her to the room across the hall.

"Everything's fine," Beckett said, seeing the sandwiches and pizzas were set. She turned to her husband and then kissed him gently on the lips before saying, "That's all you'll get at this point," as they could hear the laughter of children in the other room.

"That's all I wanted," Castle said, following her back inside the family room.

It took a little time but Beckett was soon able to gather Julia, Mari, Tracey and Dawn together to take a picture of them. She added Eliza and Dani; Mari holding her baby sister; before she had everyone join in. After the parents had taken pictures of their kids as well she said, "Go ahead and play, we'll let you know when we're going to eat."

Taking the camera his daughter was handing him Jim nodded and said, "Nicely done, especially since the lights aren't on."

"He wants there to be an ambiance," Beckett replied, smiling slightly as she glanced over at her husband, shaking her head a little. "But at least we can still see each other." She turned her attention then to Tracey's mother and said, "How are you doing Sandy?"

"I'm alright, a little tired since Sam and Justin weren't going to bed last night," the woman replied.

"Were your sons supposed to come with you?" Jim asked.

"They're twelve so they didn't really want to come to a Halloween party for little kids," Sandy replied. "They're trick or treating with friends at the moment and a parent too or we wouldn't have let them go."

"Are all the kids twelve?" Jim said in slight confusion.

"It's Mr. Coleman, he teaches Chemistry at the high school and he's there to make sure they don't get into any trouble since his son is there in the group. Though of course we didn't explain it to the kids like that," Sandy said with a slight laugh. "Excuse me."

As Troy was coming over to Jim, Beckett squeezed her father's arm before she went over to the boys who were talking with David and said, "I told you this would be a kid's party."

"We did want to come and see our _sobrinas_ ," Esposito replied easily. "And there are adults here we can talk to. Excuse me," he said to Ryan and David.

Stepping out into the hall Castle said to his wife who looked at him in slight surprise, "I could read your mind."

Giving him a brief glance Beckett turned to Esposito and said, "Nothing to say in detail?"

"Not the time for that Beckett," he replied, watching the others inside the room. "And I know I said it seemed the last killer we caught was part of the group with Tyson, but there wasn't a sign to confirm that."

"Did you talk to her about it?" Castle said.

"Of course she said she was looking for him," Ryan said, joining them in the hall. "I saw you leave and thought I'd follow," he explained as the three were looking to him. "But she asked us if we'd found him and if we had, she wanted to go to him."

"Insane?" Beckett said.

"No lucid but we had her checked out," Esposito said.

"And there was nothing not a kind of psychosis, or delusions," Ryan finished. "So she was seeking him out."

Castle nodded to that since he could see his wife was as well and said, "Thanks for the update."

"Yeah, not a problem," Esposito said. "Should get back to your party though."

"It's mostly the girls' party," Beckett said before they went back into the room. She turned her attention to Sandy, Angela and Todd who had come over to her and Castle and said, "You're enjoying yourselves I hope."

"We are, we were wondering about what we heard from David and Rebecca," Todd; Mia's father; said. "About your trip to the B&B."

"I was waiting for that to come up," Castle told his wife. "And it's true, if you're doubting the idea of a fake crime we investigated," he said, eyeing the kids around them.

"What we're surprised at is the fact it wasn't planned for you two to investigate," Angela, Lucy's mother, commented.

"The plans for it were begun before they reserved rooms for the weekend," Rebecca said, joining them.

"She's right," Beckett said with a smile. "But there wasn't much they could do besides go along with everything."

"Except reveal that it was fake," Sandy said with a smile. "Just like a real Clue game."

"That's what I said," Julia said with a smile as she came up to the adults.

"Can we help you sweetie?" Beckett asked, putting her hand on the back of her head carefully.

"You're sure we can't play something?" Julia asked.

"I think now's a good time to start the dinner love," Castle said, looking at his watch.

"Alright, kids," Beckett said to them. She was surprised when they stopped running around quickly, turning to her, and she smiled saying, "Is anyone hungry?"

"I don't think it had to be asked," Rebecca said with a laugh as they all seemed to start answering that at once.

"Okay then we can go to the dining room to get our food," Castle said. He led the way over with his wife and their daughters as their family and guests followed. "Are we going first?" he asked his wife.

"Take Eliza," Beckett answered simply before she followed with Julia. She then said to the others behind them, "It's self explanatory, the pizzas you can tell what toppings they have. The sandwiches are egg, ham and turkey. Hopefully you'll enjoy whatever you decide on."

"You're like a waitress Mommy," Julia said jokingly. She smiled when her mother leaned over and kissed her before she watched her grab an egg salad sandwich that was shaped like a pumpkin. "And you can read my mind."

"That's more her awesome mommy powers," Castle said absently as he was getting his plate ready after getting things for Eliza. "And the fact we know what you like."

"How come the sandwiches are so small?" Peter asked when Julia was across the table from him.

"They're tea sandwiches. We had them in England… and Ireland," she answered.

"Shaped like pumpkins?" Dawn asked.

"No," Julia laughed, shaking her head. "We went in the summer so they were just squares."

"They were good?" Tracey then said.

"Yep these will be too, they're close to how they were over there," Julia said before following her mother out since they were finished. "Are they going to eat the veggies too?" she asked her parents when they were sitting down together at the end of the table.

"Hopefully," Castle said. "You two will of course."

"You too Daddy," Eliza told him firmly.

"And I will too," Castle replied, smiling a little at her tone. He kissed her temple since she was sitting on his lap and watched her pick up the tiny slice of cheese pizza he'd chosen for her.

Soon everyone was gathered around the table and after Castle raised his glass in a toast they began to eat, the room filled with the sound of them all talking and laughing together.

* * *

"I can't wait to see what we'll play," Mari said excitedly to Julia as they were waiting with the other kids in the middle of the room.

"Yeah me too," the little girl replied. When her friend looked at her in surprise she said, "I only know the one game that we talked about playing, 'cause I told Mommy and Daddy about it."

"Look at your sister," Mari whispered then.

Since Eliza was standing next to their grandmother it didn't take long for Julia to see her and she was surprised to see the frown on her face. When she noticed her friend was looking at her questioningly she shrugged and then turned to Dawn who was talking to her.

"I see," Castle was saying at that moment to Tommy who was standing in front of him. "I saw the cartoon too," he said, handing back the stuffed Pink Panther doll that the toddler had handed him. "You're ready to play some games?" When Tommy nodded, his blue eyes like his father's a little wide, he said, "We'll play really soon I promise." He was startled when all of a sudden Eliza was running over to him and she wrapped her arms around his neck tightly. He wondered what had caused that but he suddenly saw his daughter looking at the boy before he left them, rushing to his mother. "Eliza-" he started to say, slightly concerned.

"Rick," Beckett said, placing her hand on her shoulder and making him jump since he hadn't heard her approaching. " _Later love_ ," she murmured to him. In English she then told him, "We should get Julia's game set up."

"Yeah," Castle said, looking down at their daughter. "Can I go help her?" he asked the toddler.

Hugging him tightly Eliza then let him go and turned to her friend Lucy who came over to her and pulled her to where Mia was standing by the shelves.

Watching as her husband tied the other end of the string to another a nail on the other end of the room Beckett said, "You're still sure you want them running around for that scavenger hunt?"

"We just need to close the doors," Castle replied. "But for now I hope this works," he told her as he took the apple she was holding. He tied it by its stem to the string and said, "Alright, you can have them come and try this out."

It took a moment to gather the kids to the apple hanging on a string but once she had them standing in front of her she said, "Some of you need to be helped but to play this game you're going to need to try and bite the apple." She saw that Peter was holding his hand up and asked him, "Yes?"

"Can we use our hands?" the little boy asked.

"You can't, it would make things way too easy," Castle told them. "Though I don't blame you for asking. So just try to bite at it."

"We'll start with those of you who are taller," Beckett said. "And the youngest of you, Mari."

"Me?" she asked uncertainly. "I don't know."

"Just try," Julia said encouragingly. "If you can't do it then that's okay, I bet I won't either."

Nodding Mari then put her arms behind her back before she waited for Beckett to tell her to go. She tried a few times to bite at the apple but was unable to when Castle told her to stop. "It's hard," she said though she was laughing.

"I think we're doing that wrong," Julia said suddenly. "In the book I think everybody tried at the same time."

"It'll be better if we go one at a time," Beckett said, watching as Castle cleaned off the apple with a damp washcloth. "Okay, Dawn?"

"Why her?" Tracey asked.

When her mother said her daughter's name warningly Beckett said, "It's okay, I'm going by age still, Dawn is younger than you right?"

"Oh, okay," Tracey replied.

"Ready?" Castle asked Dawn who'd walked up to the apple. "Then hands behind your back and… go!"

After her turn, where Dawn was just barely able to bite at the apple and pull it down, Beckett waited for Castle to put up another apple for Julia. "You would have gone after Mari," she told her with a smile.

Giggling softly Julia said, "I know but that's okay. At least I'm going now."

"Good luck sweetheart," Castle said as he was tying the apple in place. "Ready?" Julia nodded and he then instructed her, "Go!"

Trying her hardest Julia soon had to concede that the activity was much harder than her book had made it seem and she watched her other friends go. When they'd finished, sharing slices of the apple that Dawn had gotten, she watched her parents set the string down a little further and looked on interestedly as they spoke to Eliza, Lucy, Mia and Tommy about what they needed to do.

"Think any of them could get it?" Tracey asked the others.

"I don't know," Mari said doubtfully.

"I don't think so," Dawn pronounced firmly.

"We'll see," Julia finally said as Tommy was beginning.

The toddler merely looked around at his parents and then Castle and Beckett before he then hurried to his father, making everyone laugh at that before Eliza was urged to go next.

Studying the fruit Eliza waited before her father told her to go and she proceeded to begin trying to do what her sister had done when she'd been biting at the apple. She became frustrated when she couldn't hold it in her teeth and finally stopped when her mother told her to. "I wanted to get Mommy," she said in a slightly complaining tone of voice.

"It's okay," Beckett said, pulling her gently out of the way of Mia who was going next. "Your sister didn't get it and she's not mad."

Eliza frowned at that but didn't answer, smiling again as her friend tried to get the apple too but was unable to. When Lucy had no luck after she said to her parents, "Now what Mommy?"

"We'll move on to our next game," Castle answered for his wife. "But first," he said as he took the apple off the string and then quickly cleaned it off before handing it to his wife.

As Castle was getting the longer piece of string off of the walls Beckett sliced up the apple and then passed out the pieces to them. "Did you find it?" she asked her husband with a smile as he finally returned.

"When did you move it to the kitchen?" Castle asked, setting a jar down on the shelf directly below the TV as the kids gathered around him.

"When I knew you'd try to find it in the office," Beckett said simply.

"You thought he'd take it?" Lanie asked.

"More likely he'd steal some of the candy off the top," Rebecca replied. "Which would in effect ruin the game of course."

"Of course," Beckett said, shaking her head at her friend though she was smiling. "Do you know what you need to do in this game?"

"Do we guess how many are in there?" Dawn asked, raising her hand.

"That's right," Castle said, setting out four pieces of paper. "But since not everyone can guess numbers too high right now, we'll have you go in pairs."

"And if we guess close?" Julia asked.

"Do you know how many are in there?" Tracey asked her friend.

Shaking her head Julia replied, "I didn't know we were going to play this game."

"She's right, she didn't," Beckett told the girls. "And since you're a little uneven… Ryan, Jenny do you mind-"

"He'll get enough candy tonight," Jenny answered. "So you're even now."

"Thank you," Beckett said gratefully. "So now we have an even number of eight you need to be in groups of two."

"How do we pick?" Eliza asked, seeing her friends looked to be wondering the same as her.

"Choose," Castle said. "Hopefully some of you will pick one of these three," he said, referring to Eliza, Mia and Lucy. He was surprised when Peter, Dawn and Tracey chose the toddlers in that order and he looked at Julia and Mari. "Okay go ahead and look at the jar, take turns please, before you write down your number."

"Don't try to count since there are candies in the middle you can't see," Beckett said. She then leaned against the shelves with Castle as they watched the groups start to try and guess. "You didn't take any did you?" she asked her husband with a smile.

"No, so it's still even," Castle said. When the kids all looked to him at that he laughed and said, "I wasn't going to say the number."

When the four groups had written it down Beckett took them and said, "Twenty eight from Peter and Eliza. Thirty six from Dawn and Mia. Fifty from Tracey and Lucy. And last from Julia and Mari… forty. You're exactly right."

Gasping out in pleasure as Beckett handed the jar to Mari, Julia said, "Should we divide it?"

"Yeah," Mari said easily before she gave the jar to her friend to open. They then passed out pinches of the candy inside to the other kids before they took their own and went to the table to sit down.

"No more games?" Lucy was asking Eliza.

"We'll be back, we need to get them to set them up here," Castle said. "I'll be back," he then corrected himself before he turned and left the room, heading to the office again. As he was getting out a few things he heard someone stepping up to the doorway, looking up and seeing it was his wife. "Hey love, you didn't have to come to help," he said as he was checking to make sure he had everything set.

"You wanted me to," Beckett said to him, slightly teasingly. She then walked straight up to him and kissed him before he could react, though she was pleased to feel it didn't take him long to recover. As soon as he was kissing her back she held on tightly to him and didn't stop fighting playfully with his tongue until they needed to breathe. "You were right, it wasn't enough."

"No but… these games will be good for now," Castle said. "To distract us," he quickly explained.

"Then we should go," Beckett said. She smiled as her husband nodded and took some of the things that he handed her before they left the office to go back to the party, hands clasped tight between them


	15. Wherever The Children Go

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Abandoned Love written by Bob Dylan, the version I have taken from his sung in an unreleased demo by George Harrison.

"Alright," Castle said, smiling at the kids as they turned to him and Beckett when they walked into the room. "First off we have a traditional game," he said, putting a poster board on a space in between the south facing windows.

"A spider?" Lucy said.

"Pin the spider in the web," Julia said, unable to help herself then with a smile. "Like pin the tail on the donkey."

Beckett couldn't help laugh at the way the four youngest kids clamored to her to get to play. "Hold on, we need to get the blindfold," she said before she took it from Martha. She went to Tommy first and said, "Would you like to play this game?"

"Pease?" the boy said after glancing to his parents.

"Ryan, Jenny?" Beckett said, realizing that it would be better to have one of them to blindfold their son.

"It'll be fun Tom," Ryan said to him as he put the fabric around his eyes. "You just have to get the spider in the web the best you can." He took the spider on paper from Beckett and handed it to his son before leading him to the poster on the wall.

Watching the boy everyone was calling out encouragement for him until he set down the spider and pulled off the blindfold with his father's help. Tommy laughed happily when he saw the spider was just on the edge of the web. "Daddy!"

"I know, great job," Ryan said, watching as Beckett marked the spider with a T. "Are we competing?"

"We are, for a prize," David said. "That we provided," he added with a smile when he saw everyone was looking at him.

"Okay now your turn Eliza," Beckett said, watching the toddler run to her. "Luckily we have more than one for you," she told her as she then tied the fabric around her eyes.

Eliza tried not to listen to everyone who seemed to be talking at once behind her; instead she tried to think of where the poster was by holding her hand up. She didn't touch it, just tried to remember the corners before she made a guess and set down her spider. When she looked at it she cried out in surprise as she found she'd gotten it a little above Tommy's.

The other toddlers went before Julia was encouraging Mari as she was taking her turn. "So close!" she said when she saw her friend had put the spider near the top and in between the edge of the web and middle. "Best job so far."

"We'll see what you do," Mari said as they then waited for Dawn to go.  
"Good try," Julia said when their friend had gotten it close to Mari's but a little further back. She waited for her mother to put on the blindfold and then began to imagine the poster in her mind until she sucked in a breath and placed it down on the poster the best she could. She quickly took off the fabric covering her eyes seeing she was the closest to the center so far. She laughed when Mari hugged her tightly before they stepped back to let Tracey go last. She wasn't surprised to see that she got the closest and joined her other friends in congratulating her as she got her prize of a full sized candy bar. After that she watched her parents taking down the poster, waiting eagerly for them to finish as she wondered what they were going to play next.

"What're you going to do now?" Lanie asked her friend as Castle was taking the game away.

"The cupcakes," Beckett replied, seeing Eliza gasping at that as she'd heard her.

"Really? Before they go out to get more candy?" Lanie said. When her friend leaned over to whisper in her ear she noticed that David was gone and she said, "When are they going out?"

"Soon," Beckett replied. "Since this will not take long. Want to help me?"

"Sure," Lanie said, standing up. She was surprised when Rebecca stood and followed them before saying, "It's funny you both are technically hosting this party."

"We couldn't let them pay for everything for this," Rebecca replied as they were in the kitchen watching Beckett get the pink box out of the fridge. "Hey, so you got everything set?" she asked, seeing her husband and Castle walking down the hall to them.

"We did, though it was weird having the Fonz shadow me," Castle said, glancing at his friend who stood next to him.

"Would you stop calling me that," David said, though his tone wasn't very angry as he spoke.

"Fine but that's what you look like. So love, we-" Castle started to say as he reached for a cupcake before his wife slapped away his hand. "What?"

"The kids pick theirs first," Beckett replied, shaking her head before she took a picture of the cupcakes all together with her camera.

"They're really cute," Lanie commented as they were watching her then set the desserts out on a platter.

"That was the plan, since we have some very young guests," Castle replied as he looked over the tops of the cupcakes. He, Beckett and the Fosters had decided to pick out the ones that looked like a graveyard with green frosting for grass, chocolate sprinkles for the ground, candy pumpkins, fondant ghosts and lastly some fondant tombstones with funny names on them. "We almost got the black widow spiders that went with this set but decided not to go that route."

"I can almost imagine Eliza being terrified of any spider after that," Beckett said as her husband picked up the tray before she could. She walked with him down the hall and called out to the others as they entered the family room, "Does anyone want cupcakes before your scavenger hunt?"

Sharing a smile with his wife as their daughters led the clamor to try and find out more about the hunt Castle set the tray on the table. "First have these before we talk about that and we'll let you know what you'll do okay?" he told them.

Though the kids looked disappointed they looked at the cupcakes, the ones who could read laughing at the tombstones before they grabbed one each and began to eat.

"I think," Martha said, sitting with her son and daughter in law who were taking turns feeding Eliza's cupcake on a fork to the toddler. "That tonight was a great success."

"You're right," Fred said. "Great party for the kids."

"Thank you," Beckett said, nodding to him with a smile. "But we're not finished just yet."

"One more thing before we get the band and head out on the road," Castle said. He couldn't help laugh slightly as Eliza looked at him in confusion and said, "I'm kidding sweetheart. Do you like your cupcake?"

"Yeah," the toddler replied. She ate the last piece of it and then let her mother carefully brush off her lips, trying not to take off the blue on her face. "Now Daddy! Now!" she cried, jumping at him as she'd seen all the others were finishing as well.

"Okay," Castle said, standing up. "For the scavenger hunt," he told them. "You're going to be looking for cards, not items before you get to the prize."

"Is it like the spider game was?" Tracey asked.

"You can divide the prize between the nine of you," Beckett said. "So I would suggest you work together to find it."

"What's the first clue?" Julia asked. She was surprised when her father handed her a card and looked at the others before she read it. " _Find your next clue today on Halloween where your clothes get cleaned_ ," she said. "The washing machine."

"Who wrote that?" Esposito asked.

"I did, they're kids Espo," Castle said before he hurried after the group to follow them.

"How many cards are there?" Ryan asked.

"Three more but he wrote them all if you're wondering if I wrote any of them," Beckett replied. She left the room as well since she knew it likely wasn't going to be easy for her husband to maintain control of so many kids. "Did you find it?" she asked, smiling at the group inside the laundry room off the garage.

"I did," Dawn said. "Do I read it or does Julia need to?"

"Go ahead," Castle said, taking his wife's hand gently.

" _If you aren't tired on your feet, travel next to where you go when you eat_ ," Dawn read. "Your dining room?"

Shaking her head and surprised to see her little sister was doing the same, Julia smiled and then said, "We eat at the kitchen table, so it's there."

"I'm so glad they don't realize how I'm absolute pants at poetry," Castle commented to his wife as they followed the kids and the two dogs who had joined them back inside.

Glancing at him for that phrase Beckett squeezed his hand before they made their way to the table where Tracey got the next card. "Go ahead," she said when the girl looked at her and Castle. "Whoever gets to the card can read it."

"Okay this one says _stay warm outside tonight, you will find my card next to orange lights_ ," Tracey read. "The jack o lanterns."

"Let's go, quickly before we run out of time to trick or treat," Castle said, ushering them down the hall again to the entry.

Stepping outside Beckett wasn't surprised when Peter rushed to the pumpkins but watched as Mari was the one to find the last card tucked behind the pumpkin that was Macca's. She was surprised when the little girl looked disappointed and asked, "What's wrong Mari? Can you see?"

"Yeah but it just says, _bark, bark, ruff, bark_ …" Mari read.

"Daddy!" "Rick!" Julia and then Beckett said.

"Oh, whoops I mistakenly put down the card for the dog's scavenger hunt," Castle replied, making a big show out of looking through the pockets of his blazer. "Ah, here you go Mari, sorry about that."

" _Go back inside to see something sweet_ ," Mari started to read. " _And find the prize where you tweet_."

"You thought they would get that?" Beckett asked her husband with one eyebrow slightly raised.

"I thought maybe…" Castle said. "Okay, this one I'll let you know," he told them. "It's where my phone is." He laughed slightly with his wife when the kids took off back inside since they remembered he'd set it down under the TV.

"A treasure chest!" Lucy cried out in surprise as she and Eliza were the first in the room.

"Easy," Rebecca said as the toddlers were trying to grab the chest on the shelf.

"Divide everything in there," Castle said as he and Beckett came inside.

"Here," Beckett said, going over to them. She took the chest and sat down at the table, removing everything from inside before she put it into nine piles. "There you go, and we have some bags for you to put it in," she directed to the parents at the end.

Watching as the kids looked over everything Castle commented to David who was standing with him and Ryan, "Thanks for the stuff."

"Not a problem but please for the last time stop saying that," David said, shaking his head. He smiled when some of the kids went to their parents so they could read the gift certificates for a cupcake that he and Rebecca had included. "So are we going out now?"

"I think so," Castle said, looking to his wife at that point.

"Have you had enough with your prizes?" Beckett asked the kids.

"We're gonna trick or treat now?" Julia said eagerly.

"If anyone wants to," Castle said.

All the kids went to their parents then to beg them to go out so the adults gathered their children and headed out of the front of the house though Martha stayed behind them to pass out the candy outside the gate.

"Are you sure you want to stay Martha?" Beckett asked her as the others began to walk down past the Foster's home.

"Of course," Castle's mother said. "I'll join you once I see you across the street." When Beckett looked at her in slight confusion she added, "Jim and I agreed to change places at that point."

"Oh, then we'll see you," Beckett said, looking down the sidewalk and spotting that Castle was waiting for her. She went down the street before she reached over to him and took his hand. "How are we doing this?" she asked him once they were walking down after the kids.

"Tracey's parents are going to take her back to their neighborhood in about twenty minutes to go around there," Castle told her. "And after they said that Dawn's parents said the same. And Ryan and Jenny are going to bring Tommy back around the same time, Esposito will go to a bar then and Lanie will stick with us."

"And you guys?" Beckett asked, not surprised everyone already had their plans.

"We need to go early," Rebecca replied since Beckett had been talking to her and her husband.

"Okay then why don't we get started," Beckett replied to that as they were coming up to the Foster's neighbor on the other side. "Did we decide this?"

"I volunteered us," Castle told her.

"He told them," David said before his friend glanced at him. "Hey, it's the truth."

"Come on Rick," Beckett said, unable to help laughing softly at the look on her husband's face. She pulled him by the wrist as they walked past the others before they reached the kids around the door.

"Who's going to ring the doorbell?" Castle asked as he saw all the kids were hesitating and looking at each other. "Someone needs to or else we won't get any candy."

"We won't Daddy," Julia said. She shared a look with Peter as they were in front with Mari; as she'd already said she wouldn't ring the doorbell. "I'll do it," she and her partner said at the same time before they reached for the bell.

Beckett had to bite hard on her lower lip as the two stared at each other in surprise but were soon distracted by the owners of the home opening the door and exclaiming for the kids.

"I didn't know the Beatles were in town," the man said. "Hey Castle," he said, seeing him and Beckett behind the kids and dogs.

"Vernon," Castle said, nodding to the Thompsons.

"Where are your daughters?" Cynthia asked, looking at the kids when they stepped up to get their candies.

"Here," Julia said, holding her sister's hand up. "She's Jeremy."

"And she makes a very cute one," the woman said with a smile. "Mari?" she then asked since she knew the Fosters. She smiled at the little girl who waved and said, "Very nice costumes." She then handed out the last candy and waved to Tommy who was being led away by Tracey who he'd gone with. "You're very welcome," she then said to the kids' call of thank you. "Happy Halloween!"

"At least they know who we are," Mari said, trying to look into her pillowcase to see her candy.

"Wait until you're back at home to look guys," Castle told them as they headed to the adults waiting for them at the end of the driveway. "We've got a lot of houses to go to still."

"I think we'll have just enough time for the neighborhood," Sandy said. "And we'll take Tracey home."

"I have to agree," Emma said. "And then she'll head to bed. I really wish they had this on weekends, it would be so much easier."

"It's tradition it's on the thirty first," Ryan commented, near them. "But I have to agree, even though our son isn't in school yet."

"Next year?" Fred asked.

"Yeah, that's the plan," Ryan agreed before they stopped at the next house.

Beckett wasn't surprised to hear Sandy asking Jenny what she was hoping her baby would be and she wasn't surprised when the woman replied that she wouldn't mind another son. "Maybe I should have said something when I was pregnant with Eliza and people asked me that," she told her husband.

"Then you would have been lying," Castle replied, squeezing her hand tightly in response.

Beckett couldn't reply to that as they'd reached the front door and they watched as the kids cried out, "Trick or treat!" as soon as the owners opened it to them. She wasn't surprised when the couple and an adult daughter exclaimed over the kids' costumes but seemed to appreciate the _Yellow Submarine_ ones a little more.

"It looks like you guys are a hit," Castle commented when they were walking back out to the others. "Much like the band you're portraying."

"Yeah 'cause it's The Beatles," Julia said in a matter of fact tone of voice.

"I might join you at the next house," Jim said to his son in law as they were walking down the sidewalk in a group again.

"Sure," Castle told him. "I'm just wondering why they took me so seriously."

"They're all talking, every time we stop," Esposito said.

"So that means we had good company," Castle replied. "Excuse us."

Watching her father walking up to where she was waiting for her husband Beckett put her arm through her father's and said, "I hope you're enjoying the party."

"Of course," Jim said firmly. "It's been wonderful seeing my granddaughters playing with their friends. Though the costumes are an interesting addition."

"Great costumes," Castle commented as they watched Dawn pressing the doorbell. "But yeah, interesting to see them as men."

"And Eliza as a teddy bear," Jim told the toddler jokingly as she was coming up to them first.

"I'm Jeremy," the toddler said firmly. She then threw her arm around her grandfather and held up her pillowcase to show how much candy was on the bottom. "See Grandpapa?" she told him.

"I see it looks like you're doing very well," Jim said.

"Julia," Beckett said slightly sternly though she had a smile turning up the corner of her lip. "You'll see your candy back at home."

"Still, I can't take a little peek?" Julia asked hopefully. She laughed when her mother sighed and then took her hand saying, "I'm teasing you Mommy."

"I know sweetie," Beckett replied, hugging her against her side. She kept her there as they walked with Rebecca and Mari down to the next house and she said to the little girl, "You know you're going to be heading with us for a little."

"Yeah Julia told me," Mari said. "Thanks for letting me come with you."

"She insisted," Beckett said, smiling at her daughter who did the same back to her. "But your mom and dad need to take Dani anyway."

"What about Lizzy?" Julia suddenly said.

"Your grandparents will take her in," Beckett told her.

"And we're not going to go that far," Castle added. When the two looked at him he motioned them to go ahead before taking his wife's hand and walking after the kids who had seemed to lose their uncertainty and rang the doorbell right away.

"Trick or treat," Julia said with her friends and sister. She watched as the husband of the owner dropped the candy into her pillow case and said a thank you before hurrying over to her parents.

"A full sized bar again?" Castle asked. When the little girl nodded he said to his wife, "I told you, the best candy."

"I know I heard you the last four years," Beckett said. "Guys," she then called to the other kids who were grouped together on the porch still. "We need to keep going, see what you'll get next." She took Eliza's hand when she hurried to her and then held her hand out to Tommy who walked up to her. "Are you having fun?" she asked the boy.

Nodding Tommy ran over to his father before hugging him tightly and looking over at Eliza as they were walking down the sidewalk again.

"What did you say to him?" Beckett asked Eliza when they were alone.

"Nothing," the toddler replied. "No Mommy, I didn't," she insisted.

"Just be nice to him okay?" Beckett told her.

"Yeah," Eliza said, nodding so hard that the hood of her suit slipped back a little.

"She will," Castle told his wife with a smile before they walked together with her.

"I've come to the conclusion," Lanie said, walking over to join them. "You have an incredibly cute family."

"And it took you four years for that?" Castle said jokingly as he knew she had been too.

"Especially the two of you," Lanie said.

"Why Auntie Lanie?" Eliza asked.

"Because they're great parents," Lanie replied, smiling as the toddler hurried over to her to take her hand. She led her to the end of the path to the front door at the next home and let her go with the others. She looked across the street and waved to Martha who she could see and then turned to Jim who had stepped over next to her. "You're going to leave?"

"It's only fair," Jim replied with a nod. "And I know she enjoys going around with the girls."

At the door Julia looked over at Mari as she had to explain who she was dressed up as to the owner of the home who was passing out candy. When the woman smiled and just nodded her head she put her hand on Mari's back as they were walking away telling her, "You look great as George."

"I think it's 'cause I have a beard," Mari told her. "But that's okay, at least you know I look like George and so does everyone else."

"Yeah," Julia said with a nod before they walked hand in hand together to the adults. She squeezed her friend's hand before hurrying to her grandfather with Eliza to say goodbye to him for the moment.

"Don't go Grandpapa," Eliza said to him.

"I need to give your grandmother a turn," Jim told her. He hugged them to him telling them, "I'll see you again when you come back home so don't worry I won't be asleep."

"Kay," Eliza said.

"Good luck with your candy," Jim told them before waving to everyone else and going across the street. "They're expecting you," he said to Martha before taking the bowl of candy that she was holding.

"Oh good," Martha commented. "There have been a number of kids, so the extra candy is just inside the gate." When he'd thanked her for that she went across the street and said to everyone who was standing and waiting for her, "Hello again, thank you for waiting for me. We should continue though, get these kids to the next house."

"Hi Gram," Eliza said as she and Julia walked with her.

"Hi, were there lots of people at the house?" the little girl then said.

"Yes they enjoyed the graveyard behind me," Martha said, looking back at her son as she spoke and smiling slightly at him. "How much further are you going?" she then directed to him and her daughter in law.

"We have ten minutes," Castle said, looking at his watch the best he could. "And then we'll head back and everyone will disperse."

"You're kicking us out," Esposito called up to him.

"How can I kick you out if you're staying at our house?" Castle replied.

"Close the gate on me?" Esposito said. He watched Castle being dragged away by Beckett and said to Ryan who was with him, "Still whipped."

"You shouldn't really think of it as being something that bad," his partner said simply. He saw that Esposito was looking at him with a perplexed expression on his face and said, "There are benefits."

"Like what?" Esposito asked.

"The kids are coming back," Jenny said to them as she'd been able to hear them.

"So you might want to hold off on that kind of talk while they're around," Lanie then said, eying the two.

"Maybe I should ask him," Esposito told his partner.

"He wouldn't tell you anything," Ryan easily replied. At his disbelieving glance he explained, "Has he ever confided in you about him and Beckett since you found out about them?"

"No, which is weird he didn't used to be like that," Esposito said. "Think they're in trouble?"

"No," Beckett said in such a firm voice that the boys jumped at the same time and glanced back at her.

"She's right," Castle told them, coming up behind his wife and wrapping his arm around her waist firmly. "We're doing very well. So excuse us while we head up with the kids."

"I don't think he's kidding," Ryan said, looking at his friend as Beckett put her hand on Castle's back before they watched the kids ahead of them.

"No, guess not," Esposito said.

After the ten minutes were over the group headed back to the house where some time was spent saying goodnight and goodbye before splitting up.

"Well that was a great party," Castle was saying to everyone who was left. He then said, "Esposito, you remember where the bar is?"

"Of course," he replied, throwing the keys to the car he had arrived in with the others up and down in his hand.

"See you in the morning probably," Castle said as they watched him walk back into the driveway to get the car.

"You will, we're leaving then," Esposito called.

"Thanks so much for the party," Jenny said to Castle and Beckett. "And you too," she added to the Fosters. "Tommy had a great time."

"We did too," Rebecca said. They said goodbye to the Ryans before the three headed inside and she then turned to her daughter.

"I know Mommy," Mari said quickly as she hurried over to her to kiss her baby sister goodnight. "I'll be very good."

"And don't eat too much candy okay?" David said to her jokingly.

"I won't," Mari giggled. She watched as her parents said goodnight to them, including Jim who was remaining outside to pass out the candy. She hugged her parents before they left and watched them heading back home before turning back to everyone else. "So we get to keep going," she stated instead of asking.

"We will," Beckett said with a slight smile. "Eliza, we'll be inside very soon okay."

"Mommy my costume?" Eliza asked as she knew she was going back inside with her grandmother since it was nearly her bedtime for that night.

"You can keep it on," Beckett said. "Martha, you're okay taking her?"

"Yes we're going to watch Charlie Brown again," Castle's mother told her.

"I get to see Snoopy!" Eliza said happily to her sister and Mari.

"Could I?" Julia asked her parents.

"We'll watch it one more time tomorrow after school," Castle answered. "We'll ask your parents if that's alright," he then directed to Mari.

"Thanks!" the little girl said.

"I think I'm going to go ahead and leave you guys to go," Lanie said then. She couldn't help smiling when all three girls groaned in disappointment and told them, "Sorry but I'm a little tired and exhausted walking after you guys but I'll join Eliza and Martha so I'll be there when you get back."

"Thanks for coming trick or treating with us," Julia said. "Even if you didn't get any candy."

"I loved getting to do that with you," Lanie said. "Are you taking her home before you come back?"

"Yeah," Julia answered for her parents.

"Okay then goodbye Mari, it was great to see you again," Lanie said, hugging her quickly.

"Thank you Lanie, I think the same," Mari replied, trying to sound as grown up as possible.

"Have fun," Lanie said, waving with the others as they watched them walk back down the sidewalk.

Hurrying over to her Eliza tugged on her aunt's hand and said, "Come on and watch Snoopy." With her grandparents and Lanie laughing she walked back into the house with her and Martha, wondering what kind of candy her sister and Mari would get at the next houses they went to.

At that moment Beckett was watching with Castle as the girls went up to the house two blocks over that they hadn't gone to with the others in the party. "I have to wonder," she said softly to him as the owner stepped out, asking about the girls' costumes. "Why exactly we kept them inside for so long."

"It was a party," Castle replied. "See, this is where them coming an hour earlier would have been better." He wasn't surprised when his wife merely looked at him and he shrugged his shoulders before saying, "It's what I said."

"Are you fighting?" Julia asked, coming back to them with Mari then.

"No, just talking," Beckett replied. "What did you get?"

"We can't tell," Mari answered before they headed down the sidewalk ahead of the two. She put her arm through Julia's before they started to sing _Yellow Submarine_ until they reached the next house which had someone outside of a gate like Jim was.

"Happy Halloween," Brad said.

"Hey, wasn't sure if you two would be here," Castle said as the girls looked surprised to see the chief there.

"The kids are out on their own," Brad replied easily, pulling his phone out of his pocket. "Yeah they came," he said to the person on the other end. When he'd hung up and put away his phone he told them, "That was Lils, she said if you happened by to call her."

"This is your house?" Julia asked.

"She brings up a question I wanted to ask," Brad said. "Why have we always ended up at your place for dinners or get togethers?"

"Something's always come up," Lily told her husband as she walked out to them. She hugged Beckett immediately and said, "You look great."  
"You too," Beckett said in slight amusement. "Civilians?"

"I guess so," Brad said. "So, would Paul and George like some candy?"

"Here you go girls," Lily said, putting two full sized candy bars into their pillowcases. "You look so adorable."

"Do grownups look adorable?" Julia asked before she and Mari thanked her and Brad.

"When they're played by little girls, why not?" Castle said. "Kate," he said then, looking down the sidewalk.

"Yes they can," Beckett replied. "Girls, you can go ahead of us to the next house since they're outside handing out candy too."

"They're the Longs, they're nice," Lily said, looking at her husband.

"She's right," Brad added. "And we'll be here to watch them."

"Then once you get the candy," Beckett said as the girls were looking up at them with slightly wide eyes. "You'll come back."

"Yeah, we will." "Thank you Mommy," Mari and then Julia said.

Watching the two turn and walk away Brad couldn't help saying, "I think you scared them."

"She didn't, I think they're surprised they're allowed to go on their own," Lily said. "So how're you guys doing?"

"Great, relaxing after our vacation," Castle said, smiling as the two knew the story of what had happened at the B&B.

"I had to laugh at that," Brad told them. "But it bolsters the idea of you two working with me. You're good at what you do, even if it's fake."

"Which likely won't happen again," Beckett responded. She then smiled and said, "When're you going to call us back?" since it had been since the end of September since they had worked with him.

"Next time there's a murder of course," Brad said, looking with them down the sidewalk at the girls who were waiting behind some other groups of kids to get their candy. "Did you take pictures of them?" he then said, turning back to Castle and Beckett.

Since he knew his wife was watching their daughter and Mari, Castle got his phone from his pocket and handed it over to Lily, the picture on the screen of the entire party. "It was fun," he said. "I don't think it was as good as our Christmas party last year but still it was good."

Beckett shook her head slightly before she then said, "How was it you two?"

"Good. Mommy, is it true did stuff happen before we could go to dinner here?" Julia said as her mother was speaking to her and Mari since they'd come back.

"It is which seems odd but that's what happened," Beckett replied.

"And the fact we don't hold parties helps that out," Lily said. "You figure we should but…"

"How are you off right now?" Castle asked, since he knew the woman meant the fact that Brad's schedule didn't always leave him free for that.

"Hutchinson is taking care of things," Brad replied. "So I got lucky. Which was nice."

"Did you have dinner with Lily?" Julia asked. She then looked up at her mother and said, "Is it okay I ask that?"

"It is," Lily herself answered before Beckett could say anything. "And we did. It was very nice; we don't usually get to have dinner on our own."

"But we did have to eat a little quickly, make sure we were out here for the trick or treaters," Brad added.

"Speaking of that," Beckett said, looking at her husband.

"Yeah we do need to keep going," Castle replied, knowing immediately what she meant. "So they can get to more houses."

"Of course," Lily said. "It was great to see you girls, and you had great costumes."

"She's right, tell your grandmother Julia that she's gifted," Brad then said to them.

"I will thank you Brad, Lily," Julia said, looking at the two and smiling. "Thank you for the candy."

"Yeah thanks a lot," Mari said.

"You're welcome, hope you have a great rest of the night," Lily told them.

"See you guys," Brad said, waving.

As they were walking down the street again Julia said to her parents, "Are we going to get to look through our candy?"

"You will," Castle said. He noticed that Mari was looking a little unsure and he told her, "You might have time to look with your parents at home."

"I know," the little girl said, smiling at him. "They said we would but I wonder if they'll let me have just one candy."

"We'll let you," Beckett said quickly to her daughter. "But just one piece and a smaller one too."

"Think your mom and dad will do that?" Julia asked her friend.

"Yeah a small piece too," Mari said, nodding her head. She then giggled as they walked up a path to the next house and said, "I wish we hadn't had cupcakes."

"I know but they were sooo good," Julia said, lowering her voice as they were getting closer to the door. "And then we can get another one now you know."

"Yeah," Mari replied, trying not to giggle too loudly. "I'm glad my mom and dad got one of those papers for me."

"Me too," Julia said, squeezing her hand before she rang the doorbell.

Watching them Beckett smiled and said, "Should we tell them we got the one for Julia?"

"She might be able to guess," Castle said, keeping his eyes on the girls who were calling out, "Trick or treat," to the couple that came out the door. He watched them place smaller size candy bars and a lollipop in their pillowcases. When they were back with him and Beckett and walking to the sidewalk again he said, "They were nice, gave you two candies and everything."

"I think they want to go to bed," Julia said, her friend nodding in agreement to that. "They were talking about seeing a lot of kids and saying they bought too much."

"And they asked us what we wanted," Mari added.

"You might get another house like that," Castle said. "And if they let you pick a candy or candies, jackpot."

Beckett looked out of the corner of her eye at her husband at his tone at the end and said, "Still say thank you even if they let you pick."

"We are Mommy," Julia said, scratching at her head.

"You're itchy too?" Mari asked.

"Yeah I can't wait to let my hair down," Julia complained as they turned ahead of her parents to go down the path to the next front door. "Next year I'm dressing as Jennifer, or Maria."

"Maybe you should stick with Jennifer," Castle said, glancing at his wife.

"I'm not going to dress the same as Mommy is," Julia said before she and Mari had to ring the doorbell.

"She remembers Maria's dresses right?" Castle asked.

"Not this second, give her some time and she will," Beckett replied. "But they could dress up like Maria and Derek did for their Jive too." She wasn't too surprised at the look her husband gave her and she then told him, "Remember what your mother said earlier."

"What?" Mari asked as she and Julia were walking over to them with their candies.

"Want to dress like Maria did for her Jive?" Beckett suggested.

Julia was a little confused and used the time that she was walking to the next house with them to remember the outfit. She then recalled a pink sleeveless top and crinoline skirt before she then looked at her father.

"I know what she's talking about and if your grandmother worked on it a little bit then… okay," Castle said. He had to stop abruptly with Beckett as Julia and then Mari stopped abruptly. "What's wrong?" he asked.

"No what about your dancing? You're still gonna show right? Because once we go to bed you're going to go out of your costumes," Julia said. "And I have another question too."

"First, we will dance once we get home," Beckett said, knowing her husband was staring at her and wondering the same. "We promised ourselves we would do that for you at least. Your second question?"

"Can Mari dress up as Derek?" Julia said, grinning widely at her friend.

Not surprised when Rebecca and David's daughter gave a slight eep sound in response, Castle said, "You might want to wait until we're finished with this Halloween first."

Since they weren't too far from the next front door Julia walked with Mari alone as her parents waited on the sidewalk and asked her best friend, "Would you care if you dressed like that?"

"Do I have to wear a blonde wig?" Mari asked. When Julia shook her head no, wrinkling her nose as she herself had been doing, she laughed softly and then wrapped her arm around her shoulders as her friend soon did the same to her.

"I would say that was a no," Castle murmured to his wife. He was a little surprised when she suddenly leaned against him, wrapping her arm around his. "Okay?" he asked, since the wind was blowing slightly.

"Just watching them," Beckett answered. She was also thinking but didn't mention it and when the girls came back to them she looked at their oldest and suddenly said at the same time as her, "The Tango."

"What?" Castle asked, looking back and forth between them both in his confusion, seeing that Mari was doing so as well.

"We can dress like they did in the Tango, the team Tango," Julia explained so excitedly that she was almost tripping over her words. She then looked to her father and said, "Daddy-"

"Hold on," Castle interrupted, getting his phone out. He quickly searched for Maria and Derek dressed in those costumes and with a slight laugh said, "You could, if Mari and her parents are okay with it," as he handed the phone to the little girl.

"Oh we could," Mari said, seeing the picture of the couple in tuxedos, Maria wearing a tiny top hat. "But I would have to wear a boy's tuxedo."

"A kid's tuxedo," Beckett corrected her. "It doesn't need to be for a boy exactly."

"You don't think Peter will mind?" Mari then said.

Julia frowned at that as she suddenly remembered her partner and their discussion at lunch about dressing as the dancing couple before she gasped at the same time as her best friend and they said together, "He can dress up like that too."

"So you can be a team?" Beckett asked. She couldn't help laugh softly at the way the girls nodded eagerly and said, "Then talk with him, see if maybe someone else will be his partner so you are a team."

Looking at each other, Mari and Julia nodded once before they said, "Dawn."

Turning to her parents as they paused on the sidewalk in front of the next house Julia said, "She has blonde hair and she would love to dress up like Katherine did."

"Peter looks a little like Mark," Mari said.

"If you close your eyes, yeah," Julia said before she and her friend began to heavily giggle.

"Go you two, after the next house we'll head back home to your home Mari," Beckett said. "You approve?" she said to her husband as they waited for the girls.

"Of course it's not offensive… though Maria's legs are really well defined in those… leggings?" Castle said.

"I have no idea," Beckett replied. "Martha will think of something; something for Dawn too."

"I wish we could keep going," Julia said as soon as they were back with her parents and walking to the next house.

"Maybe when we're on a Friday or Saturday," Castle said simply. They soon reached the corner house and he smiled as the last people exclaimed over the girls' costumes after they'd explained who they were. When they were on the sidewalk and walking back home he said to the two in front of him and Beckett, "So a nice Halloween."

"Yeah but I'm more excited about the next one," Julia said, smiling at her friend. "Already."

"Me too," Mari said, giggling a little. She then looked sideways at her friend and said, "Julia?"

"Yeah?" the little girl asked, looking over at her.

"Do you think you can teach me the Tango they did? You and Peter can teach me and Dawn," Mari said, growing more eager as she continued to speak.

"I think so," Julia said, beaming at her. "We'll ask them tomorrow at lunch and get started."

Castle wanted to comment that a year was a long time to practice a dance but his wife put her hand on his arm so he refrained.

Seeing the two soon yawning Beckett couldn't help smiling and telling them, "You're both going to sleep so well tonight."

"Yeah," Julia said with a slight smile. She and Mari were arm in arm and they didn't say anything until they were at the Foster's house. Turning to her she hugged her as tightly as she could before waving to her parents who were opening the door. "We got a lot of great candy… I think," she told them.

"If you got the full sized candy bars then yes," David said as he brought Mari inside.

"David can I ask something?" Julia said quickly. She then said hurriedly as her friend was smiling at her, "Can Mari dress like Derek did with Maria here?" as her father handed over his phone.

Taking it and seeing the outfits David nodded and then showed the phone to Rebecca who'd come over to them. "I think that'll be nice," he said to her.

"It will," Rebecca said. "But that's a whole year so we'll see what happens. In the meantime thanks for taking her for a little longer."

"Thank you for letting her come," Julia said quickly. After her parents and Mari's had said you're welcome at the same time they said goodbye and she left with Castle and Beckett. "I'm glad she asked me to dance," she suddenly said as soon as they were back on the sidewalk.

"Do you think she'll want to start taking the classes with you?" Beckett asked.

"Yeah," Julia said. She then frowned and said, "I mean I hope she does. Oh Mommy, that'll be so great."

"Then what's wrong sweetheart?" Castle said as he put his hand on her shoulder and saw she was still frowning.

"Why can't girls dance together?" Julia said. "I could teach Mari easy."

"You can teach her outside the class if she does ever join yours," Beckett said as they waited for Castle to open the gate. "For now do you want to catch another dance?"

All thoughts of the next Halloween flying out of her head Julia nodded rapidly and said, "When though?"

"We'll look at your candy with your little sister after the dance," Castle said, looking at his wife. The lights from the house let him see her reluctant approval and he reached over to her, taking her hand to kiss the back of it before they stepped inside.

"Well how was it?" Martha said, coming over with Eliza in her arms, Jim behind her and the four from the city looking down the hall at them from the family room.

"It was great," Julia said. "And Mari and I already have our costumes for next year Gram and now Mommy and Daddy are going to dance."

Beckett couldn't help feel a little embarrassed though the girls were so obviously excited, especially when she noticed Esposito studying her. She didn't respond to his look and instead went with her husband to the parlor where she waited for him to give his phone to her father. Once he was with her she got in hold with him, feeling suddenly ridiculous though she tried to push that away as they waited for the music to finally begin.

Julia watched her parents as they began, smiling after she realized that they had really been taught Quickstep moves and she clapped eagerly when they had stopped and turned to her. "That was really good," she said before she rushed to them and hugged her mother tightly. "But Daddy," she said, turning to him.

"I know it's those shoulders," Castle said. "I can't keep them up, when we practiced earlier your mom threatened to get me that… harness or whatever you call it so I'd keep them up."

Giggling Julia had to wait until she stopped to say, "It would be funny to see you wearing that. So now are you okay with dancing?"

Since the question had been directed to her Beckett smiled and ran her hand over the back of her daughter's head telling her, "We're taking the class sweetie."

"For sure for sure?" Julia asked eagerly.

"For sure," Castle echoed. "And we're hoping you'll help us out if we're going to have homework."

"Two things," Esposito said as Julia nodded and hugged her parents tightly at the same time. "One you're taking a dance class and two, what kind of homework would they have?"

"To your first question we are, they're offering a class at a studio next year," Beckett said. "We're taking it with the Fosters. And second… I guess practicing."

"Yeah you'll have to," Julia said. "And I'll make sure you do."

"No surprise there," Castle said, trying to say it under his breath but not making much of an effort.

"Me too," Eliza said.

"Oh, that is a surprise," Castle said, laughing as his wife lightly smacked him on the chest with the back of her hand. "So, Kate?"

"Wait!" Julia said before her mother could answer. "You're going to dance that one too right?"

"What dances are there?" Jim asked.

Looking over at her father Beckett couldn't help smiling as she knew he was trying to take in the idea of her in a dance class and she said, "The Quickstep, Viennese Waltz-"

"That's a good dance for couples," Martha commented.

"Yeah they'll like that one," Julia said, nodding in agreement with her.

Looking at the little girl Beckett continued saying, "The Samba, Argentine Tango, Foxtrot, Jive and… Paso Doble."

"You're not looking forward to that last one?" Lanie said. "I thought the Jive would have thrown you off."

"I think it's the Spanish lines," Castle commented. "What? You don't tell me so I have to guess," he said defensively as he saw the look his wife was giving him.

"No I'm just wondering why that dance if we're not going to perform," Beckett said, going to Eliza and picking her up off her grandmother's lap.

"No?" the toddler asked. She looked around as the others laughed and then said, "Why Mommy?"

"Because I don't think they expected you to sound so disappointed," Castle replied. "Okay who wants to take a look at their candy with us?" he asked the others

"I think we're good here," Ryan said, putting his arm around Jenny's shoulders.

Glancing at the TV Beckett said, "We'll be back before we go upstairs." She took Julia's hand and led them over to the kitchen table where they sat with the girls' pillowcases on top.

Watching as his daughter and son in law upended them Jim commented, "I think you did very well this year."

"I'll second that, this neighborhood was gold," Castle said as he saw all the full sized candy bars there were in the girls' collection. "You got a couple of your favorites Julia."

"I know," the little girl replied with a smile. "Mommy-"

"You know the rule, one smaller candy," Beckett said.

"Luckily they got some of those," Martha commented, watching Eliza with a smile as she put a couple candy bars on top of each other before they wobbled and fell.

"What do you want Eliza?" Castle asked, watching her too.

The toddler looked over at her sister who was picking out a little square of her favorite candy and she looked down at what she had. Since she couldn't read all the names on the candies Eliza went by color and chose the same thing her sister had. "This Daddy," she told him with a smile.

Julia smiled too as her parents looked over at her and said, "It's okay, she's not copying me. It's a really good candy."

"It is," Castle said, pretending to try and be subtle about the way he was sliding his hand over to the candy in front of Julia. He laughed when she tapped him with her finger before he moved it back.

"You should ask Richard," Martha said, though she was smiling.

"Julia or my wife?" Castle said.

Giving him a look Beckett then said, "Maybe you should ask me."

"Great, can I have some candy love?" Castle told her.

"A candy," Beckett said. She wasn't surprised when their daughters began to laugh at that and then said to them, "Yes, I'm only letting him have one candy. I don't need him hyper tonight; we need to get some sort of sleep love."

"You're right," Castle said, though at the same time he was trying not to go crazy at her double entendre with the comment about him being hyper. He then focused his attention on their daughter and said to Julia, "Now I should ask you, can I have a candy?"

"Yes," Julia replied, nodding. She giggled when he took the same candy she and Eliza were eating and said, "Does everyone like it?"

"I think so, mind if we have some too?" Jim asked.

"Take from Eliza's," Beckett told her father and mother in law. "She won't end up eating all this candy." She grabbed one herself and then began to eat it, holding Eliza against her chest as she was sitting on her lap.

"This was fun," Jim commented.

"We're happy you came Grandpapa," Julia told her. "Are you coming for Thanksgiving?"

"Of course, remember I'm staying with you while your parents are in Tahiti and since it's close enough, until Thanksgiving," Jim said.

"What about Christmas?" Julia then whispered when they all fell silent.

"I…" Jim started to say before his daughter reached over to him to take his hand.

"I explained already to them Dad, so you don't need to," Beckett said.

"We don't have to decorate," Julia said then. "Just… have Christmas."

Jim studied the girls and then said gently, "You can decorate." He wasn't surprised when they looked disappointed and he said, "I'll be here too."

Beckett looked at her father in shock and said, "Dad, you-"

"I think it's time Katie," Jim interrupted his daughter. He had to stop there as his granddaughters were rushing to him and hugging him tightly. "Your mother would tell me the same and I miss seeing these two at Christmas," he said, slightly frowning. "I've missed a lot of memories hiding myself."

"It's okay Grandpapa," Julia said quickly. After her sister's, "Yeah!" she then told him, "You didn't have to come if you didn't want to but now you do we can't wait to show you our Christmases here."

"That's why I want to come," Jim said, kissing her temple. "But I might not be able to come until a week before."

"That's when I'll be coming out here myself," Martha replied. "But I wonder will you decorate a bit earlier this year?"

"You should," Jim told them, not surprised when his daughter again looked stunned. "I want to see as much as I can."

Beckett glanced at her father for a moment before she then nodded and said, "I think it's time to pack up and go see how our guests are doing without us."

After helping Julia get her candy back in her pillowcase Castle took her hand as they returned to the family room together. "Good haul this year," he told everyone who'd turned to them from the couch that the boys had put back while they'd been gone. "And…" he started to say before he noticed that Eliza was yawning widely in her mother's arms. He then turned back to the others and said, "We better get these two to bed; school tomorrow of course."

"Can you say goodnight?" Beckett asked her youngest.

"Yeah," Eliza said with a nod before her mother set her down. She hurried after her big sister, going first to Jenny and Ryan. "Night," she said, suddenly shy.

"Yeah thanks for coming to our party," Julia said, taking her sister's hand and squeezing it reassuringly.

"You're welcome, it was great to see you two again," Jenny said first.

"I know Tommy thought the same," Ryan said, hugging the two briefly after his wife had. "We'll see you tomorrow at breakfast."

"So will I," Esposito said.

"Wait, Javi," Beckett said suddenly. "Why are you here?"

"I called him," Ryan said.

"And I texted him," Lanie added. "Eliza wanted to say goodnight to him."

"So do I," Julia said. "Sorry."

"No it's okay, I was finished at the bar anyway," Esposito replied as the girls were standing in front of him. He looked at Eliza who was hiding a little behind her sisters and took her hand, pulling her around to stand in front of him. "You had fun."

"Yep," Eliza said, nodding. She then smiled and said, "You too?"

"I did so I'm glad I came," Esposito said. He hugged both girls to him briefly and told them, "Goodnight and again, see you before you head to school."

"You two were so adorable," Lanie said as the girls then hurried to her and hugged her at the same time. "I'm really glad I came."

"So are we," Julia said.

"Yeah, happy," Eliza said before she giggled and kissed Lanie's cheek.

"Goodnight," she told the two. "I'll be here in the morning too," she said as she could tell that Julia was going to ask that.

"I'll be up after…" Jim started to say then as his daughter was looking at him and Martha.

"Their bath," Beckett answered.

"After that," Jim said.

"So will I," Castle's mother added.

"Okay we'll be back after we get them into bed," Beckett told everyone in the room. She took Julia's hand after she'd run over to her and led Castle who was carrying their youngest up the stairs. "You two want to take a bath together?" she asked them.

"You want us to don't you?" Julia asked as she looked at Eliza who was nodding her head to their mother's question.

"You'd rather take a shower?" Castle asked. "She's asking that because it's late for you two."

"So we couldn't play?" Julia said.

"I'm afraid not but next time we'll try to get you to your bath sooner so you can," Beckett said. "We need to wash your hair."

"Me too?" Eliza asked, touching the top of her suit.

"Yes so let's go," Beckett said. "While your daddy gets the paint off Eliza's face I'll hurry and grab your things Julia."

"Okay so," Castle said, leading the girls to Eliza's bathroom. "There's something I wanted to talk to you about Eliza."

"Yeah?" the toddler asked as her father put her up onto the counter next to the sink.

"When I was talking to Tommy earlier… you know what I mean," Castle started to say before the toddler was turning her head away from him. "Why did you do that?"

Beckett was coming into the room then and when she heard that she began to grab Eliza's pajamas carefully, wondering what the toddler's answer was going to be as the bathroom seemed to be quiet for a little too long.

"Tell him Lizzy," Julia whispered to her sister since she was already aware of why her sister had done that earlier.

Eliza turned to look at their father before she said, "Carl said that you like boys better."

"And why would he say that?" Castle replied, his brow furrowing in concern.

"He said that daddies like boys better," Julia said for her sister when she looked to her for help. "And they don't want little girls because they can't play with them. But he said twice that you were sad that Eliza isn't a son." She looked over at the doorway when she saw her mother stepping up to it but kept from saying anything as Beckett raised her hand to stop her.

"Eliza look at me," Castle said, putting his fingers under her chin to make her tilt her head up. "I was happy, extremely happy the day you were born because you were our baby; mine and your mom's. I didn't care that you were a girl, what was more important was that you and your mom were okay which you were."

"You don't want boys?" Eliza whispered.

Castle looked over at his wife; whom he'd already spotted when she'd reached the bathroom; and said, "Is Carl the one with four brothers?"

"He is, we saw his parents at the parent-teacher meeting for Eliza's class," Beckett answered.

"Okay then let me tell you sweetheart," Castle said as he reached up and pulled the hood off her head to expose her hair. "I've never cared what you, Alexis or Julia were. I love you all because you are very sweet, smart and fun to play with." He smiled when Eliza giggled softly and kissed the side of her head before continuing with, "And not all dads absolutely want to have sons you know."

"I should tell you," Beckett said, feeling that was a good time to speak. "When I was carrying you Eliza, your daddy did mention that if we had a girl he wanted her to look like me." When the toddler pointed at herself she smiled and nodded, "I think though Carl might be jealous of you."

"Why Daddy?" Eliza asked, her eyes wide at that idea.

"Because he was there when we played with you," Castle said.

"And he was in her class earlier this year when you were…" Beckett said softly.

"He wants you for his daddy!" Eliza shrieked, seeming to understand what her mother was saying. She apologized when her parents quieted her before she wrapped her arms around her father saying, "No Daddy."

"Don't worry," Castle assured her, kissing the top of her head tenderly. "I'm your dad and I'll always be. So remember sweetheart, I love you and don't care that you're a girl. I don't have to have a son or a daughter you were born a girl so we have daughters. And believe me I'm happy I have you and your sisters."

"Are you happy?" Eliza said shyly.

"Yes, very much so," Castle said as firmly as he could, nodding his head. He kissed the side of her head again before doing the same to Julia and he said, "You are too aren't you love?"

"Yes," Beckett said, smiling at him before she looked down at their daughters. "I love our girls. Now though-"

"No bath," Eliza sad, smiling a little hesitantly before it turned into a relieved one when her parents and sister laughed a bit. She then allowed her father to clean her face and the paint was soon off, making her pat her cheeks as her father was setting her down. She let him help her out of her costume and once she and her sister were in the bath she said, "I play with you Daddy."

"You both do," Castle replied, having her tilt her head back so he could wet her hair. "So I'm not sure what he was talking about. Roughhousing?" he asked his wife.

"Who knows," Beckett replied. "Just don't listen to him sweetie because I get the feeling he's trying to make you mad."

"See? I told you," Julia said though she couldn't look at her sister at the same time since their mother was washing her hair. When they were finished she wasn't surprised to see Eliza was yawning repeatedly and she said, "Is it very late?"

"She didn't have a nap," Castle explained.

"And it is a little late for her," Beckett said, pulling Eliza out then and cradling her as she sat down to dry her off.

"You still have on your hats," Julia said suddenly as Castle went out to get the girls' pajamas she'd left on the bed.

"Oh yeah," he said, coming up to the doorway in time to hear that. "Love?" he asked.

Carefully Beckett let go of Eliza and took off the beret, running her fingers through her hair before the toddler started to do that. She smiled at her and nuzzled her daughter's nose with her own before sharing a kiss with her.

Going over to her mother as soon as she had her pajama pants on Julia shared a kiss with Beckett before she said, "Did you want something like Daddy did when you had Eliza in your tummy?"

"You should tell them love," Castle said, coming back and leaning against the doorway after he had placed their hats very quickly on the dresser in their room. "And then we'll explain after."

Beckett looked at him for a moment before she then told the girls who were watching her with wide eyes, "I said whatever we had it would be great if the baby had his eyes."

"Mommy," Julia then said worriedly.

Holding up her hand to stop her Beckett said, "You should know that in the scheme of things brown eyes are more dominant, which is why your sister has mine."

"Dominant?" Julia pronounced carefully.

"It happens more often," Castle said. "Brown hair too."

"What about green eyes?" Julia then said, touching her cheek.

"If there was no chance for other colors then your daddy and big sister would not have blue eyes," Beckett said, a little concerned where the conversation was going. "And you wouldn't have had green."

"I'm glad we're different," Julia said, smiling at her little sister as she was trying to touch her eye. "But you like Eliza's eyes right?"

"I do," Beckett said, knowing the toddler was going to worry about that if she wasn't already. "Come on, you two are dressed now so we need to get your teeth brushed after all your sweets tonight."

"You too Mommy," Eliza said as her father took her to the sink.

"I will," Beckett said, waiting for the two to finish before they went out to the room to find her father and Castle's mother walking in.

"Just in time," he told them. "This one is… nearly out," Castle told them as he quickly checked on Eliza to see her blinking a little faster than normal.

"Then let us say goodnight now," Martha said. "Since I'm going to my room after." She sat on the edge of Eliza's bed and gathered the girls in her arms as tightly as she could before kissing them and said, "I love you so much girls, you looked so wonderful tonight, just like Paul and Jeremy."

"'Cause you made our costumes for us," Julia said firmly. "Thank you again Gram, they were great."

"Yeah thank you," Eliza added, nodding her head. "And love you Gram."

"I love you too," Julia said.

Martha kissed them again before one last hug and she stood up to let Jim sit where she had been and she left after saying goodnight to her son and daughter in law. Going to her room she looked at the pictures on her phone she'd managed to take that night and smiled at the sight of her granddaughters and their friends before she turned her attention to preparing for bed.

Back in Eliza's room Jim was hugging his granddaughters and he shared a kiss with them before telling them, "Sweet dreams Julia, Eliza. I love you two and I'm looking forward to coming back next month."

"Too long," Eliza said quickly.

"It'll go by fast," Castle said. He glanced at his wife and said, "The competition is eleven days away so he'll be back then."

"Kay," Eliza said after thinking that over. She then turned to her grandfather and kissed his cheek saying, "Love you Grandpapa, lots."

"And I love you too Grandpapa," Julia said quickly, kissing him too. "Night."

"Night," Jim said. He hugged them and then stood up to go, saying a quick goodnight to his daughter and son in law on the way.

"I'll be right back," Beckett said quickly before her husband could go over to the girls. "Dad," she said quietly to stop him. "Why-" she started to say.

"It's nothing serious," Jim said. "If that's what you're thinking. I just want to try and be here with my granddaughters on a day you're supposed to spend with your family." He then smiled and said, "I could almost hear your mother when I was thinking about whether or not to go, telling me I couldn't hide myself without them worrying about me. I don't want to do that to them as they're growing up."

Beckett nodded at that, since she knew her father would tell her if there was another reason. She hugged him tightly and then turned around to go back to Eliza's room before her father called out to her.

"You look beautiful Katie," Jim told her with a smile.

"Martha did a great job," Beckett said easily. "Night Dad." She then went back to the room, not too surprised to find that Eliza was fast asleep and Castle was leaning over to kiss her, telling her he loved her. She hurried over as quietly as she could before tucking in the toddler and then sitting down to press a kiss to her forehead murmuring, "I love you Eliza."

Waiting in the hall eventually Castle put his hand on the back of Julia's shoulder and led her to her room where he sat on the edge of the bed while Beckett and their oldest sat across from him. He smiled and said, "You had a good night?"

"Yeah there's something I didn't tell you," Julia said smiling. "I forgot to," she explained as her parents looked startled and then concerned.

"So it's good news," Beckett stated instead of asking.

"Peter and I are gonna be in another competition," Julia said. "The night before Thanksgiving."

"Oh sweetie that's great," Beckett said, hugging her tightly.

"Thanks, I'm nervous though," Julia admitted.

"I'm not surprised," Castle told her. "But I think you'll do a good job since I know you'll start practicing like crazy with Peter."

"I will," Julia said, smiling at them. "Can he come over tomorrow with us?"

"How about Friday?" Beckett suggested. "You said you'll have double homework."

"Oh I forgot," Julia said. She sighed and then told them, "We're going to dance the Samba, the Viennese Waltz, the Tango and the Flamenco 'cause we could pick the last one."

"Then you should have fun. But you haven't danced the Tango much," Castle said.

"That's why we need to really practice," Julia said.

"You gave Ms. Grey songs already didn't you?" Beckett said, smiling at her daughter.

"I did but we have to see," Julia replied. "She said she might use musicals."

"You mean instrumental songs?" Castle asked her.

"Yeah," Julia replied.

"So we have two competitions next month," Castle stated, looking over at his wife.

Rolling her eyes Beckett told her husband, "It's for charity Rick."

"Still, considering Skye's coming over from the West coast to compete in it," Castle commented. "But we'll have to get a display case or something, since you two will have… medals and a trophy."

"You're assuming too much Rick," Beckett told him, shaking her head. "You don't know if I'll be that good compared to everyone else."

"You might Mommy," Julia said, having been watching their exchange with a smile. "You never know."

"Still I'm not going to assume anything like your Daddy is doing," Beckett said, though she was smiling over at Castle. They seemed to exchange a look before she nodded and they moved.

Julia looked at her parents when they stood at nearly the same time and she sighed saying, "It's my turn?"

"It is," Beckett replied, waiting for her to get up all the way on the bed.

"Love you Daddy," Julia said when he leaned over to hug her. She shared a kiss with him before she looked at her mother who sat next to her. She embraced her as tightly as she could and said, "I love you Mommy, too."

"So do I," Beckett replied, kissing the top of her head. "But you know you need to get some sleep too."

Yawning widely Julia nodded before they shared a kiss and then laid back at her mother's direction before she was tucked in. She sighed as Beckett stroked her forehead gently and closed her eyes, surprised when she very quickly felt exhausted and was falling asleep.

Beckett looked over at her husband as he looked startled when their daughter very quickly nodded off and smiled before leading him out to the hall after they had closed the door slightly. "Busy day for her too," she told him.

"I guess so," Castle said with a nod. He stopped his wife a little down the hall and then pulled her up against him, leaning over and kissing her gently on the lips before they parted and then kissed again briefly. He then entwined their fingers together to go over to the stairs before they found Ryan and Jenny coming up. "You're checking on Tommy?" he asked them.

"We're going to bed too," Ryan said. "Since he'll be up earlier than I'm sure everyone else will."

Nodding Castle and Beckett said goodnight to the two before they continued on to the family room where they found Lanie and Esposito watching the TV. They shared a glance then at the slight tension they could feel in the room before he cleared his throat a little.

"They're all set?" Esposito said when he and Lanie looked over at them.

"Yeah they were tired," Castle replied. "Watching anything?" he asked, nodding to the TV.

"Just some horror movie," Esposito said. When the two were sitting on the couch he said, "So a dance class."

"We established that already, yes," Beckett said with a slight nod. "Is it that hard to believe?"

"For you slightly," Esposito said. "Is it because of Julia?"

"In a way, she's wanted us to dance… for a long time," Castle replied. "Well not just the dancing we do at clubs and- what?" he said, having to interrupt himself with the way his wife was looking at him.

"She has no idea how we dance at clubs," Beckett said. "And she doesn't need to find out," she said.

"How do you dance at clubs?" Lanie asked, sounding amused.

"We dance," Beckett said, eyeing her husband. "And just simple swaying, she's seen us do that."

"I think it's sweet of you to do that," Lanie said. "More so because she was so happy when she found out."

"Hopefully she will help us," Castle said absently.

"To move to another subject," Esposito said after a few seconds of silence. "How's your book going?"

"You want to know?" Castle asked, since he never really asked about it.

"What else can we talk about?" Esposito said with a shrug. "Cases?"

"Maybe not," Beckett replied. "Since we talked about that already."

"Is that why you stepped out for a second?" Lanie asked. "You couldn't wait until after the party?"

"We needed to hear as soon as possible," Castle answered for himself and his wife. "But if you're wondering, this book is close to what happened to us at the B&B."

"How close?" Lanie said in surprise.

"Close," Beckett said with a slight smile.

"They don't talk much about their books even if you do ask them," Lanie said to Esposito.

"We kind of want you to read them," Castle said slowly. He looked over at the TV and then said, "Some horror movie?"

"She put it, not me," Esposito said as it was _Rocky Horror Picture Show_.

Beckett looked at her husband and said, "She couldn't go see it this year could she?"

Noticing that Esposito and Lanie had turned to them with confused expressions, Castle said, "Alexis goes to see this movie around Halloween."

"They don't have it in England?" Esposito said.

"Not in Oxford," Castle said. "In London they do but she hasn't had a chance to go, school's been too busy."

"She is enjoying it, you said," Esposito told him.

"She's a little homesick," Beckett said. "But she loves it."

"Only two years," Esposito said.

"It's not so much that," Lanie said, not surprised to see Castle giving him a look at that phrase. "But her not being close to home to see them. How are the girls holding up with that by the way?"

"They're okay, I think the Skype conversations help," Beckett said. "But they're looking forward to the day she comes home. They have a calendar for that. Oh, Julia told us that she's been picked for another competition."

"Her and that boy, Peter?" Esposito asked. "You're okay with her dancing with him?"

Beckett took Castle's hand, since she knew they couldn't really explain their suspicions about their daughter, and instead answered for him telling both Esposito and Lanie, "They're just friends, we've watched them practice and Mari and Eliza have watched them too."

"They just dance and play when they're not dancing," Castle said, squeezing his wife's hand. "But she told you because we're wondering if you'll be able to come out to see her?" he told them.

"The day before Thanksgiving? I'm afraid my parents want me to come home this year and I have to leave that night," Lanie said.

"That's a weird day to have a competition," Esposito said.

"It's likely going to be a small one," Beckett replied. "But try and make it if you can, she'd love for you to catch it."

"I need to see what my mom's doing the next day," Esposito said. He stood up and then continued telling them, "I'll let you know."

"You're done?" Castle asked in amusement.

"Sure," Esposito replied with a shrug. "Night."

"Good night," Beckett said along with her husband and Lanie. She remained silent as they could hear the man going up the stairs and as soon as she was sure he wouldn't be able to hear them she turned to her friend. "Were you arguing?" she asked.

"It seemed like it," Castle said when the woman looked a little startled.

"No just… uncomfortable," Lanie replied. "I think seeing you two and then Ryan and Jenny as families is… weird for us to see."

Beckett sighed as she could understand what she meant and was about to tell her friend that when her husband suddenly spoke.

"So you're not seeing anyone?" Castle asked. When all he got from the doctor was a stare with slightly narrowed eyes he looked away quickly and said, "Okay so no, but… okay."

"Nothing?" Beckett asked gently.

"No I get the feeling my mom is going to set… something up," Lanie replied.

"Would you want a local boy?" Castle asked.

"If he had a nice personality and wanted kids as well sure," Lanie said. "But Kate."

"Sorry it was bound to come up," Beckett replied, knowing what she meant. "Anything you want to ask us since we have the chance?"

"No we've talked already," Lanie said with a slight smile. "But it's interesting to see you two again."

"Are we different every time you see us?" Castle asked, obviously trying not to laugh.

Narrowing her eyes at him; though she wasn't really threatening him; Lanie answered, "You were nearly a year and a half in a secret relationship, what do you think?"

"Okay point made," Castle replied. "Oh," he said when Lanie was standing. "We're going to bed too?"

"I am, you two… Goodnight," the doctor told them. She went to Beckett and hugged her tightly before saying, "It was great to see you again."

"I know I'll try to get to the city… at some point," Beckett said. She watched her friend say goodnight to her husband before she and Castle were alone. "So should we just go?" she asked him.

"One thing," he told her, taking her hand. "Come outside with me?" When his wife merely nodded in response he took her hand and then led her over to the kitchen where he poured out two glasses of wine. With those set he quickly went with her to the door outside and they stepped out, not realizing that Lanie had come down to see them go followed by their oldest. He wrapped his arm around her waist and they went down the patio to the gazebo which was already lit up and ready for them.


	16. Epilogue- Let Me Feel Your Love

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> There are lyrics from two songs in this chapter, the first is from the song My One and Only Love by Robert Mellin, the version I have taken from is sung by Paul McCartney from his album Kisses on the Bottom. And the second song is My Love by Paul McCartney, from the Paul McCartney and Wings album Red Rose Speedway.
> 
> The title of this chapter is a lyric from the song Abandoned Love written by Bob Dylan, the version I have taken from his sung in an unreleased demo by George Harrison.

Looking out on the beach and ocean Beckett turned when her husband touched her back and she saw he looked slightly hesitant. "What's wrong," she asked, reaching out and cupping his cheek.

Taking her hand and bringing it to his lips Castle pressed them against the palm very gently before he pulled her into his embrace. "Are you cold?" he then asked her, in a whisper.

"No I'm fine," Beckett said, breathing out a little hard at the way he held her. She pulled back slightly and looked into his eyes saying, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah I just want to feel you," Castle said.

Beckett couldn't help smiling at that and told him as she pressed her forehead against his, "You had to repress a lot didn't you?"

"A little," Castle said. He then smiled back at her and said, "So did you."

"Slightly," Beckett replied. She laughed softly as he embraced her tightly and when he made them start to sway a little asked him, "You want to dance?"

"I do," Castle replied. He got his phone and began to play Beckett's favorite song by Coltrane before he wrapped his arms around her tightly again. "Love," he murmured to her after a while.

"Hmm?" Beckett said, not opening her eyes.

" _I want to have you_ ," Castle said.

" _You will_ ," Beckett breathed, opening her eyes then and looking into his. The intensity in the blue pools made her breathless and she sighed his name before they seemed to fall into their kiss. She held onto him as tightly as she could, trying not to collapse as all of a sudden it felt like her knees were unable to function. His tongue swept across her lower lip and she was digging her nails into his back tightly. "Oh god," she gasped when they parted and he went down to her neck. "Rick, wait this… it's too much."

"Sorry," Castle said, pulling away from her carefully. He helped her sit and then joined her after grabbing their glasses of wine. "I think you were right," he told her. "I was repressing a lot."

"So was I," Beckett replied as their hands met each other and fingers entwined tightly without them looking. She took a sip of wine and felt the warmth rushing through her, though only because it was slightly less than she felt already from her husband. "Tonight…" she began to say, looking at him.

"It'll be a long night," Castle said, looking at her. He raised her hand and pulled it up to his lips, kissing the back of it before saying, "Are you ready for that?"

"I've been thinking about it already," Beckett told him. "I want to play."

Castle was taking a sip of wine then and nearly choked on it before he said, "Play… you mean role play for sure?"

"To a degree," Beckett said, knowing he was thinking of the fact they never had been able to take their role playing too far before they had to get back to themselves. "I think our costumes have influenced me."

"Me too, just tell me and I'll do whatever you ask," Castle said seriously.

Beckett smiled at that and then leaned over, kissing him on the cheek before saying, "I told you I'd do that."

"True but…" Castle said. "I'll give you control over the role playing."

"Thank you," Beckett replied. They shared a deeper kiss that time and when they started to part from each other she let go of his hand to reach up and cup his face again. They stopped and slowly parted, sitting back before she leaned against her husband, pressing against his side as he held her close and they listened to the waves crashing behind them.

Eventually Castle made himself move to reach into his pocket, taking his phone out to turn off the music before he paused while he was looking at the screen.

"What?" Beckett asked, seeing his expression as he looked to her. She couldn't help smile as she said, "Who sings it?"

Not surprised that she had figured it out Castle showed her the title and wasn't surprised when she looked a little unsure. "We haven't listened to this one too much with her," he commented. "She prefers the rest of the album."

"Alright but you know that makes three times today," Beckett told him teasingly even as she was standing up at the same time he was.

"And you really mind that much?" Castle shot back, his tone of voice matching her own. He wasn't surprised when she merely smiled at him and waited for him to press play before he set the phone down on the seat so they could hear. As the opening bars of the piano commenced, he brought her into his arms and then swayed with her before Paul began to sing.

_The very thought of you makes  
_ _My heart sing  
_ _Like an April breeze  
_ _On the wings of spring  
_ _And you appear in all your splendor  
_ _My one and only love_

At the second to last line Beckett smiled and glanced at her husband before he brushed his lips against her own. She wanted to tease him about the lyric but the last one made it seem a little mean to do that so she turned her attention to the next verse.

_The shadows fall  
_ _And spread their mystic charms  
_ _In the hush of night  
_ _While you're in my arms  
_ _I feel your lips so warm and tender  
_ _My one and only love_

Both Castle and Beckett kissed on the second to last line, not minding the fact they missed out hearing the last line since they seemed to know it was the same as the first. They pressed their foreheads together after parting and before they came to the next verse.

_The touch of your hand is like heaven  
_ _A heaven that I've never known  
_ _The blush on your cheek  
_ _Whenever I speak  
_ _Tells me that you are my own_

_You fill my eager heart with such desire  
_ _Every kiss you give  
_ _Sets my soul on fire  
_ _I give myself in sweet surrender  
_ _My one and only love_

_The touch of your hand is like heaven  
_ _A heaven that I've never known  
_ _The blush on your cheek  
_ _Whenever I speak  
_ _Tells me that you are my own_

As the second verse began again Beckett pulled back from her husband slightly and said, "You do realize you can stop now."

"But I really want to try and write something for you in the form of rhyming," Castle said, though he was only kidding. When she leaned over to him then and began to whisper in his ear he froze before looking to her. But before he could say anything he held back as the last verse began.

_You fill my eager heart with such desire  
_ _Every kiss you give  
_ _Sets my soul on fire  
_ _I give myself in sweet surrender  
_ _My one and only love_

" _Surrender_?" Beckett asked when they had parted.

Smiling slightly at her Irish Castle replied, "Sweet surrender, a little different from a negative kind of surrender." He wasn't surprised then when she laughed and he held her tightly to him as she laughed and then threw her arms around his neck before they kissed.

Unknown to the two at that moment they were being watched Lanie turning away when she saw them kissing after they'd stopped swaying together. She stood up a little straighter when she saw a shadow in the dark room and then breathed out when she saw who it was. "Julia, you scared me honey what are you doing up?" she asked as the little girl came closer.

"I just woke up," she replied. She climbed up onto the couch and then angled her head to be able to see the gazebo. "You were doing that wrong," she told her mother's friend.

"Oh? And how would you know?" Lanie asked.

"Eliza and I spy on them sometimes," Julia said. She looked back at the doctor and stifled a giggle as she explained, "They're so much in love when they're with us, I thought maybe they stopped when we were asleep."

"And do they?" Lanie said, trying not to let the amusement in that statement filter through to her tone.

Glancing out to her parents Julia smiled widely and said, "I don't think so."

Doing the same Lanie hurriedly looked away when she spotted Castle and Beckett sitting together; the former kissing the tips of his wife's fingers as her other hand ran over his hair. She felt a little like she'd intruded and she turned to Julia saying, "I heard the music coming down to get a drink."

"If you keep the lights off they won't see you," the little girl replied. She then giggled softly and said, "They're too busy to notice too."

"You don't mind them being like this together?" Lanie asked, motioning out the window.

"Why? I want them to stay married," Julia said. She then admitted, "I feel like I shouldn't watch them though."

"I think your parents would tell you it's not polite to stare," Lanie suggested.

"I don't," Julia said.

"I know," Lanie replied, smiling at her firm tone of voice at that. "But I'm going to get that glass of water and then we're heading up to get some sleep okay?"

"Sure," Julia replied. She went over to the hall outside the kitchen, stopping when she could see her parents on the gazebo out of the windows there. She smiled as she saw they were talking, looking almost serious if her mother wasn't just barely brushing her fingers under her father's chin. Turning her attention to her aunt as she walked back to her she whispered, "Do you wonder what they talk about?"

Taking her hand and pulling her towards the staircase Lanie said, "Anything they feel like."

"But what?" Julia persisted.

Lanie paused for a moment and said, "I can tell you right now, more than likely either about you or you sister or themselves."

Pursing her lips at that Julia nodded and said, "Okay." She let Lanie lead her upstairs then and she went into her bed after hugging her aunt goodnight. She watched Macca at the end of the bed until she was sure that she couldn't be heard and she leapt as nimbly as she could to the floor before rushing to the stairs. She was careful as she went, not wanting anyone to hear her but she paused when she heard the creaky floorboard behind her protest as a tiny foot stepped on it. "Lizzy," she nearly mouthed as she turned to her little sister.

"Wanna see," Eliza said, not speaking until she had reached Julia.

Frowning at that Julia finally gave in, knowing that she wasn't going to be able to get the toddler back to bed. So with their hands holding on tightly to one another they headed down the staircase before rushing to the parlor and the couch. "They were kissing before," she murmured to her sister as they saw their parents looking down at one of their phones.

Nodding and smiling at that Eliza looked back out, wondering what they were doing that had their attention so closely focused on the phone between them.

"You know you're as bad as Julia," Beckett said, though she had a smile on her face as she was watching her husband peering closely at his phone. "How do you even know I'll agree to this?"

"Come on love," Castle said, turning to her. "You didn't have fun wearing this?" he asked, pulling a little on her skirt.

"I did but if you're that determined to take from the costumes Maria and Derek wore again… I would be careful because I'm not going to agree to everything," Beckett warned him.

"Okay but I have to tell you," Castle said. "I keep coming back to this."

Sighing as she knew what the picture was before he showed her the screen Beckett told him, "I won't wear a dress with that much cut out. Not when we're going to be trick or treating with the girls and probably the Fosters too."

Castle nodded and said, "I'll have to wear a shirt. Except when we're alone later."

Beckett rolled her eyes though she was smiling and then said, "Alright but we'll see what Julia says tomorrow about that."

Castle laughed slightly and told her, "You know she'll want you to wear that in blue."

"I'm aware," Beckett began, taking his phone from him. "And I don't mind." With that she turned off the phone before leaning over and kissing him deeply on the lips before he was responding to her and kissing her back as hard as he could.

Wrapping his arm around his wife Castle pulled her tightly against him and couldn't seem to stop doing so. Finally he gave up and nearly hauled her onto his lap before he wrapped both his arms around her, their next kiss even harder. When they parted he descended down to her neck, pressing his lips against her skin, feeling her pulse beating underneath it. He was tempted to nibble at it but recalled that the house had more than their family in it and he knew she wouldn't want to have to worry about everyone seeing them.

Looking into her husband's eyes after he had pulled away Beckett couldn't help smile and tell him, "Do you want me in that dress because of the cutouts or the fact I'll be a vampire?"

Unable to help laughing for a moment Castle said, "The first one, though I don't want you going that far."

"So I won't need to wear false fangs?" Beckett said.

"I don't think you'd do that anyway, no matter what I said," Castle told her. He then gently rubbed his hand up and down her arm as she was leaning against him. "But that's a year from now," he said.

"Oh now it's a year," Beckett said, smiling at him. She studied his face and then said, "You're thinking of next month aren't you?"

"I might be," Castle replied. He kissed her forehead and then lowered his mouth to hers, taking it hungrily before she was very swiftly responding to him and they were holding on to each other as tightly as they possibly could before he moved back. He felt her pressing her forehead against the side of his head, her breath warm against his cheek. "Kate," he murmured to her after a while of silence.

"Hmm?" Beckett asked softly, feeling his fingers suddenly raking gently through her hair.

"Do you love me?" Castle whispered.

"You know I do," Beckett said, looking at him in slight surprise. She reached up and gently cupped the side of his face, their lips meeting in a gentle kiss before she pulled away. "What's wrong?" she asked as he had sounded a little unsure. But as soon as she'd spoke she had her own answer and she leaned down, kissing him yet again. " _I want whatever you can give to me love_ ," she told him as seriously as she could.

"I can't," Castle said, though everything in his body at that moment was telling him to take his wife upstairs and literally ravish her until she was begging him to stop. He went rigid in that moment and he carefully moved his wife beside him so he could stand up, going outside the gazebo to lean against the railing. The imagine in his mind of Beckett begging in desperation and pain had hit him instead of her wanting him to pleasure her to completion made him a little disgusted at himself. He felt her hand on his back as she came to stand next to him and he said, "Do you get tired of this?"

"It's been a long time since you've had a moment like this," Beckett said, leaning against him. She carefully ran her hand over the back of his head, gently running her nails over his scalp as she knew he liked. "I'll reassure you later but first what do you think of this," she began to say; wanting to get his mind off whatever he'd seen in his mind. "You seduce me in my speakeasy."

"You'd really play that?" Castle asked as he turned around to lean back against the railing before sliding his fingers through her hair so he could cup the back of her head.

"I prefer to think of it as acting it out," Beckett replied. "But I'd try."

"Me too," Castle said, leaning down and kissing her tenderly before he pulled away. "We should go inside?"

"I don't know," Beckett said with a slight smile. "I'm enjoying this."

Castle let her go and looked on as she leaned on her arms before he followed her lead and watched the waves he could see in the distance. "This has definitely been one of my weirder Halloweens," he told her.

"More than being attacked by the supposed vampire?" Beckett said as she glanced at him out of the corner of her eye.

Castle grinned widely at her for that before he leaned against her and said, "You were worried for me, admit it."

"Oh of course," Beckett said as she looked back ahead of them. "The paperwork I knew was coming…" She couldn't help laugh as her husband grabbed her and pulled her up against his body as he began to playfully bite at her neck. Her laughter soon faded away when she looked into his eyes as he pulled back and they became serious, leading her to bite her lower lip. When they fell into their next kiss she found; to her slight consternation; that it was again another one that made her cling to him out of necessity. She felt a little more recovered when they parted until she said, "Okay?"

"Yeah," Castle replied, realizing that he wasn't as unsure of his desire for her as before. "But you'll tell me-"

"If it's too much, I know," Beckett said reassuringly, cupping his face briefly. She kissed him and then took his hand saying, "We should go."

Nodding Castle was about to take her hand so they could go inside but remembered his phone. When he was slipping it into his pocket he looked around for a moment as a sudden realization hit him and he then walked back to his wife.

"You look so serious," Beckett told him with a slight smile as he walked back to her.

"We're almost to 2019," Castle stated as he took her hand.

"Still a while until our anniversary," Beckett said as they walked down the patio. "But I think the same thing. And don't forget Julia will be ten and Eliza four."

"Ten years since we met," Castle told her.

Thinking of that Beckett couldn't help but repeat, "Ten years," though her tone was one of being amazed.

"I know I feel the same way," Castle replied. "Do you ever regr-"

"Yes," Beckett said as they suddenly stopped to look at each other. "Now that I know what it's like to be with you. But we are together now Rick and hopefully once we finally get in the house-"

"We'll be together a little more than that," Castle said, smirking at her frustrated tone that she wasn't able to suppress enough for him. He brought her hand up to his lips again and brushed them across the back before he took them the rest of the way down to the door. He had to let go of her hand to make sure he didn't slam it once they were inside and he paused after locking it when he heard something coming from the parlor.

Catching her husband's eye Beckett pressed her finger to her lips and shook her head before she took the sleeve of his jacket and pulled him over to the room where she wasn't at all surprised to find their girls almost frozen on the couch there. "Girls," she said sternly.

When her sister jumped and began to scream Julia clapped her hand over her mouth until she stopped. "Mommy, Daddy," she said anxiously, knowing they were in trouble. "We just… woke up."

"And apparently wanted to spy on us," Castle commented as he stood with his wife in front of the couch their daughters were sitting on.

"No we just wanted to see if you danced," Julia said. "Again."

"Again? How long were you watching us?" Beckett asked, picking up Eliza.

"I was up before and… then came down with Lizzy," Julia explained. She wasn't surprised when her parents just looked at her and she squirmed before explaining about Lanie seeing them too.

"She's looking out for your mom," Castle said, putting his arm around Beckett's waist.

"She doesn't like you?" Julia asked.

"Yes she does," Eliza said in protest.

"She does, she just wants to make sure I'm happy," Beckett replied. "What is it sweetie?" she then asked Eliza who was squirming against her hip.

"Can you dance again? Please?" the toddler said.

"I don't think so," Beckett said, glancing to Castle who was looking back at her. "Once was enough. For now you two need to get back to bed."

Julia wanted to protest but decided it wouldn't matter if she did so she took her father's hand that he held out to her and they went upstairs to Eliza's room. She watched Castle close the door behind them before saying, "Are there a lot of people in love like you are?"

"I guess," Castle said. "I'm not too sure though if they're exactly as in love as we are…" He wasn't surprised when the girls looked at him when he trailed off and explained saying, "We don't go around asking if people are. But I would assume Rebecca and David are, likely Brad and Lily."

"I hope so," Beckett said, smiling as she looked down at Eliza who was on her lap. "Don't want to sleep sweetie?" she asked as the toddler was looking at her father and sister with her eyes wide open. She glanced at Castle when their youngest didn't answer that verbally, instead shaking her head no repeatedly. "Okay," she said, gently making her stop. She then motioned to Julia to join her and she said, "Tell your sister about your competition."

"Oh! That's right," the little girl said eagerly. "I forgot to tell you before you went to sleep," she said. "I'm going to dance next month with Peter, for a competition."

Castle smiled at the way Eliza merely smiled at that before she sighed deeply. He went over to her and kissed the top of her head before saying to Beckett, "Let me?"

"You'll have better luck," she replied, handing Eliza over. She put her arm around Julia then and rubbed her upper arm as they watched Castle walk around the room, murmuring to the toddler until she put her arms around him. Beckett couldn't help but remember him doing the same thing a number of times as their youngest had been younger and she looked over when Julia got up and held onto the pocket of his jacket.

"Takes me back," Castle said as their oldest walked around with him.

"I know me too," Beckett told him as she waited. She kept checking on Eliza whenever she could see her and the second she saw the toddler was asleep she quickly stood and went to her husband to stop him. They all said goodnight to her before she was tucking Eliza in and going over to the doorway where Julia and Castle were waiting for her.

"Mommy," Julia said hesitantly.

"You need to sleep," Beckett said, though she held off on saying that until they were in the little girl's room and the door was closed behind them.

"I know but I just don't feel really tired," Julia said as her mother brought her over to the bed. She climbed on it and sat up against her pillow that was leaning against the headboard before Beckett joined her. She looked at her father who sat on the edge of the bed looking at her and said, "Want to put me to sleep like Eliza?"

"It doesn't work for you anymore," Castle said, smiling as he'd done that a few times when Julia had been six. "So we'll have to think of something else love," he told his wife.

"Tell me a story," Julia said hurriedly. "About you and Daddy."

"I think we've told you all the stories we can," Beckett said though she had a slight smile on her face since she wasn't surprised the little girl had asked that. She was taken aback when her husband leaned over and murmured into her ear. "Oh… that's on your mind isn't it?" she asked him in amusement.

"Maybe," Castle replied.

Looking back and forth between them Julia said, "Tell me Mommy, what did he say?"

"He wants to tell you about the first time we played Clue together," Beckett said, putting her arm around her shoulders.

"What's so special about that?" Julia said, a little confused.

With a last glance at Castle, Beckett turned her attention to their daughter before she began with, "We were at my place since I had a far better version game than your daddy did…"

* * *

_"I don't know," Castle said, looking down at the board game his girlfriend was setting out on the table._

_"About what, the game? You have played Clue before," Beckett said._

_"Is that a question or a statement?" Castle said with a slight smile as he was refilling her glass with the bottle of wine he'd put on the table with them while they'd eaten dinner._

_"A statement, I imagine you with your mother when you were young playing this," Beckett told him._

_"You're correct, we played it," Castle said. "But not often. Eventually it became poker."_

_"Who do you want to play as?" Beckett asked. She watched Castle take the green piece and placed the blue in her spot before they got the other four pieces on their squares. She was first as her roll was higher and as they began to play she noticed that he was watching her from time to time. Eventually; after she'd moved to the conservatory on the board; she asked, "What is it?"_

_"What's what?" Castle asked distractedly, looking at his paper where he'd marked his cards._

_"You keep looking at me," Beckett said. "Something I should be concerned about?"_

_"Not really, I'm just wondering how you're doing with your time off," Castle replied, finally looking up at her._

_"I'm fine, you don't think I am?" Beckett said._

* * *

"I let him know," Beckett was saying at that moment to Julia. "That I was fine because I was but it was very weird to not have a single thing to do."

"She's right, it was weird," Castle said.

"No books to write or anything huh?" Julia asked.

"Not even that since that was still what I just did on my own," Castle said. "But it was nice for our relationship since it let us spend time together right at the start of it."

Beckett gave her husband a look at that since she knew what he wasn't saying though she couldn't really argue with that as it was true; they'd spent a good deal of her time on leave getting acquainted with the physical side of their relationship. She cleared her throat then as her expression suddenly changed.

Shaking his head just barely Castle watched her nod before he slid down the bed a little to be close enough to his wife to take her hand.

Smiling at him Beckett then turned her attention back to their daughter before she said, "Anyways, he guessed then but was wrong," bypassing what she and Castle had actually spoken of as she didn't want to tell their daughter about that.

* * *

_"I do, I'm just worried you might be frustrated with nothing to do," Castle said. He nearly jumped and dropped his paper when he felt her hand on the inside of his thigh. "Beckett?" he asked._

_Biting her lower lip to hide her smile at his strangled tone of voice Beckett said, "You're wrong, I have had something to do."_

_"Me too," Castle said quickly before he leaned over at the same time she had. "Do you want to…?"_

_"God yes," Beckett breathed after they'd parted from their kiss. "And tomorrow as well. Believe me when I say I don't want to stop right now."_

_"Neither do I," Castle said in complete agreement with her. He then cupped her cheek and said, "But something else first."_

_"Right, the game," Beckett said, looking back to the board before she smiled at her boyfriend and then rolled the dice. She moved around to the kitchen and made another guess before they focused more on the pieces than each other._

_Castle wound up winning the game and after they had gotten it picked up and back on the shelf with her books he refilled their glasses before taking them to where his girlfriend was sitting on the couch._

_"This is enough for me," Beckett told him as she took her glass from him._

_"Me too, cheers," Castle replied, tapping his glass against hers._

_Beckett murmured the same before she took a sip and then leaned over, pressing her lips against his. She was a little startled when he was suddenly holding her close, sweeping his tongue against her lower lip before she parted both to him. The flavor of wine was strong and was making her a little dizzy; at least she convinced herself it was that and not the man who was dueling with her gently._

* * *

"Why are you saying this story if you just kiss?" Julia asked in surprise.

"She's not done yet," Castle said.

Julia looked at her mother; who nodded in agreement to that; and then blurted out, "Is it nice when he kisses your fingers?"

"Oh so you saw that," Castle said teasingly before the little girl was blushing and nodded.

"It's nice," Beckett answered finally and simply as she didn't really want to go into detail about that. "And your daddy's right, I'm not done with the story yet."

"Sorry I was wondering," Julia replied.

"Okay so after we kissed a little more we talked," Beckett said. "And I promise we'll get to the reason he wanted me to tell the story soon," she told Julia who was before long smiling at her. She couldn't help it and leaned over, kissing her gently on the cheek before she leaned back and took up the story again.

* * *

_Running his hand over her shoulder Castle said, "I want to do what we did last night."_

_"Oh?" Beckett replied._

_"Not that exactly," Castle was quick to say. "Staying up until the sun comes up."_

_Beckett smiled a little before telling him, "I'd love to do that myself." She took his kiss before he sat up and she followed suit, watching him going to his phone and turning it on. "I'm boring you already?" she asked in amusement._

_"No," Castle said shortly before he set the phone upside down on her coffee table. Without a word to her he then pulled her up and over to the space in front of the chairs and table, putting his hand on her back as the other took hers. The song began and they began to dance, her left hand resting on his shoulder as they smiled at one another and shared a kiss._

* * *

"Our first dance," Castle then explained to Julia.

"Oh," she replied. "But didn't you-"

"You should have said our first dance as a couple," Beckett said to her husband.

"That's a nice story but what was the song?" Julia asked eagerly.

When Beckett nodded to him Castle quickly got his phone out and began to play it, smiling as the little girl's eyes went wide.

"No," Julia said, furrowing her brow.

"Yes," Beckett said simply. "He chose it and we talked a little the next day when we remembered the song about the fact that he loved it-"

"And I told her it was the first time I could play it for someone I loved," Castle said, meeting his wife's eye then as he couldn't help remember their discussion after she had recognized the opening to the song.

* * *

_"You know this song?" Beckett asked, looking at her boyfriend._

_"I do," Castle replied. He leaned down and kissed the side of her head murmuring, "Do you?"_

_Beckett replied, "Slightly."_

_"Then you should listen," Castle said._

_Glancing up at him at that, Beckett didn't have a chance to reply as the first verse was starting and she decided to humor him._

_And when I go away  
_ _I know my heart can stay with my love, it's understood  
_ _It's in the hands of my love, and my love does it good  
_ _Wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo, my love does it good_

* * *

"That's such a good song," Julia said as her father had allowed the song to continue playing though at a low volume so she could hear her mother speak.

"It is," Beckett replied

"But… you didn't call her love for a long time," Julia said, realizing the time line of the story.

"No I didn't feel that it was time yet to do that," Castle replied. "But I was thinking about her in that way already."

"You were?" Beckett said with a smile since she hadn't known that before.

"I was," Castle said firmly. "Could I finish the story for you?"

"Go ahead," Beckett said, smiling though she had to wonder why he wanted to do that.

"Okay, so next verse," Castle told them, playing the song again.

* * *

_And when the cupboard's bare  
_ _I'll still find something there with my love  
_ _It's understood, it's everywhere with my love  
_ _And my love does it good_

_Castle was kissing Beckett at that moment, all pretense of attempting to dance was lost and as the next verse played he was brushing his lips against her neck, clutching her tightly to him as her fingers ran through his hair._

_Wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo, my love does it good  
_ _Oh I love oh wo… my love  
_ _Only my love holds the other key to me  
_ _Oh… my love… my love  
_ _Only my love does it good to me  
_ _Wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo, my love does it good_

_At the instrumental at that moment Beckett was holding onto Castle as tightly as she could though she'd been doing that for some time. He was kissing her almost frantically and she was startled when he pulled away from her, looking into her eyes. "What?" she asked him, trying to catch her breath._

_Shaking his head Castle wrapped her in his arms as he made sure then that she could hear the last verses._

_Don't ever ask me why, I never say goodbye to my love  
_ _It's understood, it's everywhere with my love  
_ _And my love does it good  
_

_Wo-wo-wo-wo-wo-wo, my love does it good  
_ _Oh I love oh wo… I love  
_ _Only my love does it good to me_

_Looking at him then Beckett took his kiss that he gave her just then and pulled him over to her bedroom._

_Once they were next to the bed Castle wrapped her up in his arms and began to murmur in her ear before they began to kiss. He knew Beckett couldn't hear him but the endearment he had called her echoed in his mind before he lost the thought as he lost himself in her._

* * *

"You called me love then?" Beckett asked in surprise.

"I did but you obviously didn't hear me," Castle replied.

"I don't think she did," Julia said. She smiled and then said to her parents who looked at her, "She wanted to kiss you."

"You're not tired are you?" Beckett said, looking at her daughter.

"Sorry," Julia said a little sheepishly.

"I don't know what to tell you love," Castle said to his wife. "What else can we do?"

Glancing at him Beckett said, "I think I'll stay with her."

"Great idea," Castle said, knowing why she was saying that with the expression she had on her face. He leaned over and said, "Love you Julia."

"I love you too Daddy," the little girl replied before they shared a kiss. She smiled as her parents shared a brief kiss and she watched him leave. "You don't have to stay with me Mommy," she quickly told Beckett as she got off the bed so she could tuck her legs underneath the covers. "I can read until I fall asleep."

"I don't think so sweetie," Beckett replied.

"Wait can I ask a question?" Julia said as hurriedly as she could while her mother was starting to get on the bed with her on top of the covers.

"Go ahead," Beckett said. "But I hope it's not going to take me a long time to answer."

"It won't… I think," Julia said, laying down at her mother's direction as she did the same. "Why were you looking at Daddy's phone for so long?" she finally said when they were settled.

Beckett thought for a moment and finally decided it wouldn't hurt her daughter as she reached into her pocket for her phone which she worked on until it was ready.

"Maria and Derek's Paso? Again?" Julia said in surprise as she saw the picture.

"Your daddy was insisting we start looking for costumes next year," Beckett replied, taking her phone and turning it off before slipping it back in her pocket. "And I think he wants us to wear that." She looked at the little girl who had begun to giggle and said, "What?"

"Daddy's not going to wear a shirt?" Julia asked.

"He will, it'll be cold," Beckett replied. "When we go out to trick or treat especially."

"And what about you Mommy?" Julia then said. "There's no sides for the dress."

"I'm sure your gram will be able to fix the dress up so it's a full one," Beckett answered. "But that's still another year."

Julia nodded and said, "Will it be a fun year?"

"Oh I can't say that exactly sweetie," Beckett said, beginning to stroke her hair. "But we have different things to look forward to."

"Are you happy Grandpapa is coming for Christmas?" Julia whispered.

"Of course but you need to remember it might be a little difficult for him to really celebrate like we do," Beckett gently warned her.

"I just wanted Grandpapa to come here to see us," Julia said. "Will you tell Lizzy that?" she said.

"I will but when we get closer to Thanksgiving and we decorate," Beckett replied.

"I can't wait," Julia said, yawning a little. She smiled a little as her mother gently stroked her hair, having still been doing so and she said, "Are you nervous for your competition?"

"Let me tell you a secret," Beckett said, leaning her head more towards her daughter's. "I am but just because I haven't competed like that for a long time."

"Really?" Julia asked.

"A little," Beckett said. "But that's normal."

"Yeah," Julia said in agreement. She sighed and then said, "Did you always watch the sun come up?"

"No especially when we were working," Beckett said, quickly as she could tell her daughter was getting close to falling asleep.

"And now?" Julia said.

"Not that much," Beckett replied. "But once in a while we will take the chance."

"Must be nice to see," Julia said, thinking for a moment. "I want to do that."

"Maybe when you get older," Beckett said.

"Do I have to do it with my husband?" Julia asked, sounding a little unsure about that idea.

"No," Beckett said. "You don't have to do it with anyone but you could do it with your family or friends."

"When I'm older," Julia said. She giggled softly at her mother's firm nod of her head and then said, "I love you Mommy."

"I love you too sweetie, so much," Beckett said, reaching down and lightly stroking her cheek. "Get some sleep and we'll see you in November." She softly stroked her hair until finally her oldest's eyes began to droop and remained shut. She gently pressed her lips to Julia's forehead before getting off the bed carefully. Patting Macca's head in passing she stepped out of the room and smiled at her husband who she wasn't surprised in the slightest to find was leaning against the wall next to the doorway. She took his hand and their fingers entwining tightly they headed over to their room.

"So you're nervous," Castle began once their door was firmly locked behind them.

"A little," Beckett was quick to correct him.

"Yeah I heard," Castle replied. "But you'll do well; I know you will in eventing."

"Since we do that nearly every time we ride?" Beckett asked him.

"Yeah," Castle said. "And I'm not surprised she didn't seem to have a problem with us dressing as Maria and Derek too for sure."

"Why would she?" Beckett said, smiling. "She suggested the costume in the first place." She then took his hand and said, "Are you okay?"

"Yeah why wouldn't I be?" Castle asked her.

"Your knee?" Beckett said.

"Oh, the dancing," Castle said.

"And walking," Beckett added swiftly.

"No, it's fine," Castle told her.

"And you?" Beckett said, letting her gaze go down in between them.

"Went down a bit," Castle confessed. "But don't worry it'll come right back in a second."

"A second?" Beckett asked, letting go of him and stepping closer to him before she placed her hands on his chest though he was still wearing his full costume.

"Do you still want to play?" Castle asked.

"Act out," Beckett quickly corrected him.

"That," Castle said with a nod.

"Yes," Beckett was able to say before they were kissing each other hungrily after they'd nearly thrown themselves at one another. She had her arms wrapped around his neck and she moaned into his mouth as his tongue very carefully flicked against her before they parted to breathe and she smiled saying, "Are you sure?"

"I know, so easy to fall into everything else," Castle said.

"I love how you call that everything else," Beckett said. She let go of him and then said, "We forgot something."

"Props," Castle and Beckett said at the same time.

"I'll be right back love," Castle said. He brushed his lips against hers and then rushed to the door, leaving and closing it behind him.

Watching him go Beckett then walked over to the windows where she leaned back against one. She reached up to her aquamarine and stroked it slightly, wondering if she was really ready to try and take their fantasy all the way. She couldn't help smiling at that word; fantasy; but she was abruptly shaken from her thoughts when her husband ran inside and locked the door behind him. "Did you run the whole way?" she asked, going over to him.

"Yeah… needed to," Castle said, handing her the glass of scotch he'd poured for them. He then leaned over, breathing heavily as he tried to calm down his racing heart.

"Rick your knee," Beckett said worriedly.

"It's okay," Castle said, though his wife was pulling him over to the armchairs. He let her make him sit and slowly calmed down as he watched her go to the fire to start it. "I needed to hurry," he reiterated.

"Are you-" Beckett said, stepping next to the chair. She interrupted herself, placing her hand firmly on his groin before she froze.

"I told you, a little bit," Castle said firmly to her.

"So you still want to," Beckett replied, slipping her hand away from his that was trying to hold her down.

"Yeah, badly," Castle said, standing up then. He took the glass with him and handed it to her saying, "Drink."

"But-" Beckett began to say before her husband was pulling out a bottle of scotch out from an inside pocket in his suit jacket that she hadn't noticed was unbuttoned until then. "Are we getting drunk to act?" she asked.

Castle waited to answer until she had drunk the entire glass as he buttoned his blazer; the liquor barely covering the bottom; and told her, "No, just relaxing."

"I think I'm relaxed enough," Beckett told him, watching him pour and then down a glass as she had. She took his kiss then, the taste of the scotch heavy on his tongue before they parted. "So, we're ready," she said, watching him pouring one more glass.

"Yeah I love you," Castle said seriously.

"I love you too Rick," Beckett said with a smile before cupping his cheek.

Castle shared one more kiss with her before he went to the windows where she had been before when he'd burst into the room. He watched her going to the door before she started to walk past the dresser and exhaled heavily, seeing her pause at the different items they had there and hoping she knew how much he loved her as he couldn't keep his eyes off of her while she started to walk again.

When she glanced over at her husband Beckett bit her lower lip for a moment before saying, "You're narrating this in your head right now aren't you?"

"What makes you think that," Castle stated. He wasn't surprised when she just looked at him and he had to take a deep breath at the sight of her in front of the fire before he said, "You want me to tell you what I'm thinking in my head right now?" He wasn't surprised when she nodded and that quickly gave him an idea. Pushing that aside he then began to speak, watching her closely again as he did so, "She walked along the room drawing his eyes to her, to the shape of her body under the blue fabric that clung to her skin. To her legs as they stretched ahead of her and the way her eyes shone in the light of the room."

Beckett looked over at him once she reached the windows and leaning against one again said, "How sexual are your thoughts about me?"

Smiling at that Castle told her, "Very, you should know that by now."

"I guess I should," Beckett said with a slightly wry smile on her face. "So… should we start?"

"Probably," Castle said before he watched her glance behind her outside. He took a moment himself, more to give her time to prepare before he walked over to her. "Kate," he said.

"Rick," Beckett replied, relieved he wasn't going to try to give them different names that started with an r and a k as he'd done before; more comfortable with their names even playacting. "Having a good night?"

"Of course," Castle said, leaning against the window with her. "How's Willy?"

Beckett had to really fight to not roll her eyes at that, since she knew her husband was referencing Sorenson, and instead said, "I don't know."

"You don't?" Castle asked, looking to her.

"I haven't seen him," Beckett said, taking the glass of scotch he'd just taken a sip from. She was startled when he suddenly leaned over and kissed her after her drink of the liquor but she was soon responding to him hungrily. It was a little hard to hold onto him when she had the glass in her other hand but she soon made do with her other hand and proceeded to stroke the back of his neck until he pulled away.

"We should stop," Castle said, though everything in him was telling him to shut up and take his wife. "If he sees us-"

"It won't matter," Beckett told him easily. "I'm not his girl anymore."

Castle had to admire her for that phrase; since he knew she didn't particularly like it; but he said, giving one last push in their role play, "So what will you do now."

Knowing she could answer that in a far different way Beckett decided to just shrug. She wasn't taken aback when her husband was kissing her and she was quick to wrap her arms around him though the glass was still in her hand and still contained scotch. "Wait," she said, pulling back. She quickly took a sip before giving the rest to her husband and watching him set the glass on the table with their pictures they were near before he turned to her. After that she lost track of how many times they kissed or how long she had to feel him pressed up against her, his erection more than obvious.

Though Castle was in agony feeling the same thing he kept going for as long as he could until he had to stop. He cupped her cheek with his hand, running his thumb along her swollen lower lip before he whispered, "I want you, I always have," his voice husky with his arousal.

"So have I," Beckett said, unsure if they were still acting. But she decided it didn't matter as he was kissing her yet again but that time much more gently than they had been before. When they had parted shortly after she allowed him to take her over to the table behind the bed before she said, "That's the longest we lasted isn't it?"

"I think so," Castle said as he pressed her back carefully against the table. "Maybe we should keep things loose, not focus so much on the fantasy and more on us."

"Like you're focusing on me right now?" Beckett asked in amusement as she'd felt her husband constantly pressing against her between her legs.

"Yeah…" Castle said before trailing off. He picked her up and placed her on the table before looking down at her legs that she immediately parted. "Can I?" he asked.

"You'll have to take me back down to get this off," Beckett said. At that moment she suddenly understood what he had in mind as his eyes were looking into hers questioningly and she nodded. "Yes, hurry," she told him.

Castle shuddered at the urgency in her tone and he kissed her as hard as he could while she held onto the back of his head. As he was doing that he was pulling her skirt up until it was over her knees and remained in place. Though he wanted to get to the point where they were coupled he couldn't stop himself in running his hands up her legs before slipping them down to the inside of her thighs. He didn't stop kissing her until they needed to breathe again and he pressed his forehead against hers saying, "Help me?"

"Hmm, of course," Beckett replied before she very quickly pushed herself up enough for him to grab her panties and pull them off. As soon as they were off she was pulling him over to her as he was tossing the fabric aside and unbuttoning his blazer. They kissed hungrily as she slid it down his arms and she did the same to the vest underneath before she pulled away from him.

"More to take off," Castle told her as he threw the fabric over to the side to get it completely out of the way. He was startled when she grabbed his tie and then pulled on it until he was up against her body. "My shirt…" he started to say when she reached in between them and opened up the fly of his trousers.

Beckett didn't reply to that until he had slid inside of her and then breathed out, "We're good."

"Definitely," Castle told her, breathing out heavily before kissing her as hard as he possibly could. They remained still until finally he began to move, groaning heavily feeling how aroused she was after everything they'd done together to work up to that point. He felt her legs were tight around him, holding him close, and he was about to slowly work his way up to a faster speed before she moved away from his lips.

"It's not enough," Beckett said with a kind of frustrated sigh.

"No?" Castle asked, his voice distorting with feeling her around him as he moved within her still even with what she said.

"No fuck me, _now_ Rick," Beckett told him as firmly as she could.

The commanding tone of her voice was enough for Castle, though he had planned on fucking her, and he proceeded to move rapidly his hands clutching at her back as she was moving with him. He was a little concerned after a while that he was going to take her off the table accidentally and reached down, grabbing her by the ass before he was suddenly inspired by touching her and tilted her back just slightly, allowing himself to get inside of her at an angle. The second that their hips slapped together the first time after that he was groaning as she cried out in pleasure as it felt that their bodies had exploded where they were joined together so tightly. He kissed her again and as hard as he could manage before they soon had to part. He didn't mind the briefness of it as it allowed him to fit in more kisses which he quickly proceeded to eagerly to do.

Running her hands over Castle's shoulders as he descended down to her neck eventually, Beckett was a little frustrated with her dress as she was a bit uncomfortable wearing it still. With how fast they were moving she was beginning to sweat and with the fabric being thick she was hot. It was different from the heat that was being generated between them from the rapture that was coming from their friction together but as he kissed around her pulse and then down to the neckline of the dress she couldn't help give up on getting rid of it and didn't care that she was. She managed somehow to pull him up to her so they could rest their foreheads against each other's and she murmured to him gently.

Castle was a little startled at her request but took it in stride easily once he'd figured out quickly what she wanted with that. So he started to slow his pace, pleased when she did the same as he didn't think he could last with her taking over. "Too much?" he murmured to her.

"No just…" Beckett began before she sighed and then tilted her head back gently. She held onto Castle tightly as he descended rapidly and began to kiss at her exposed neck. "How long… have we… been here?" she asked, having to speak in between the kisses he suddenly began to plant on her lips; responding to them quickly as there was no way she couldn't with the jolt they caused through her.

"I don't know," Castle said, aching suddenly to begin again but telling himself to wait until he knew it was what she wanted. To give another outlet to that feeling he was suddenly kissing all over her sternum and around her pendant before he pulled back, looking at her closely to make sure that she wasn't going to be angry. But when her response was to start thrusting against him hard he took that for what it was and began to move again and roughly. He lost all sense of time; not that he'd bothered to look at his watch since long before they'd come to their room; and focused all his attention on her. He had no idea when he started doing it but at one point once their rhythm was back together again he was whispering to her in Irish. Since he wasn't aware for a while of what he was he had no clue what he told her, only knowing that he must have been saying something that pleased her as her body responded to him in turn.

Beckett was pulling back from his lips and she stared into his eyes as she was running her fingers through his hair. It was a strange moment she quickly comprehended as their gazes on each other were loving, yet still desirous. Their hips were slapping hard against one another but they were moving together in such a way to feel much more of each other. It was more confirmation; what she felt in some way every time they were intimate; that everything was more about the joining of themselves and not just the physical aspect. She trusted him so much that she didn't think she could ever really stop wanting it even after so many years since she didn't have to be concerned about her pleasure; he took care of it for her. She didn't have much time to think about that though as her husband was suddenly crushing her mouth underneath his own and she was clutching at him almost desperately as their tongues began to eagerly duel. And though she was closer to the edge she couldn't stop herself from touching him, running her hands from his head to his shoulders, taking the moment to feel the way his muscles were strained under the shirt, trying to hold her up against him while they slowly parted.

With the way his wife's nails were running down his shirt Castle knew neither of them had much time left. He didn't mind as using his endurance was draining his energy and he wanted as much as he could get that night since he wasn't ready to stop with her yet. He had moved back to her ear by then and was nibbling at the lobe gently before murmuring to her, "I want you again Kate but come now so we can do this again. So I can take you without this fucking dress in the way. Come _now_."

Beckett's body froze entirely for a moment before she finally snapped and she threw her head back as she tried to use her grip on him for an anchor. She was a little lost, skirting the edge of her consciousness as the intensity of her orgasm was literally making her breathless. She was assisted in keeping from passing out when her husband joined her in her ecstasy, holding onto Castle even tighter. Her cries of his name eventually petered out as the last waves of her peak began to die down. She breathed out heavily as she stopped moving soon after that, watching her husband take the rest of his pleasure in her and feeling already faint stirrings of arousal as she did so.

A last hard thrust and Castle was still though his legs were a little unsteady as he used the table to support his weight. He couldn't help smiling and he told her, "We needed that."

"I think you more than me," Beckett told him before they were kissing. It was a careful kiss and they were soon parting before she murmured against his lips, "I want to be naked."

"You sure?" Castle said.

Beckett was going to reply to that when all of a sudden her husband was pulling out of her and helping her down from the table. She was going to walk around to the bed when she was suddenly lifted up into his arms, unable to help a slight cry that slipped out of her mouth.

Castle carried her to their bed where he set her down next to it before she turned away from him and then unzipped her dress. He ran his fingers over her back as it was exposed to him and shuddered as he saw her skin was completely bare again. It reminded him of his idea but he pushed it aside for the moment as he picked up the dress to drape it over one of the armchairs before he turned to her. She was getting onto the bed, naked except for her heels which he began to reach down for when she stopped him. "You want them on?" he asked, not bothering to wait for an answer before he hurriedly started to unbutton his shirt.

"I do," Beckett replied. But her tone of voice was absent as she looked down at his length which was still rigid with his desire as neither of them had bothered to close his fly. She couldn't complain though, watching it until he moved out of her way while he took off his trousers and boxers. "Oh thank god," she said when he was standing and was naked, sitting up and then pulling him to her before kissing him. She put her arms around him as he responded to her tongue sweeping inside his mouth and then found herself having to fight against his trying to make her lay down. When he pulled back from her with a slight exhalation of air she said firmly, "It's my turn."

"Okay," Castle said, his eyes a little wide at the force of her tone. He kissed her again but quickly before he laid back, surprised once she pushed him down on the bed. He grabbed her side when she turned away from him and only then straddled his body. There was barely a few seconds to react to her and he managed to bend his knees before she held onto him and then slid down on his erection, making him grasp her ass as tightly as he could until they were coupled again. "Fuck love," he hissed to her.

Having the leverage that his knees provided Beckett was able to move rapidly on him which she began to do as soon as she had prepared herself. Once she was a little secure in her rhythm on him; fast as she couldn't really imagine taking things slowly with herself draping over his legs for long; she glanced back at him and saw that he was holding a little tightly to the bed on either side of himself. She could tell from that that he was a little unsure of what to do with his hands so she sat back up and reached down to his hands, squeezing them. That was all she could manage before she was leaning over him again but it was enough as she very quickly after felt her husband's hands on her ass. She gasped out his name as the warmth of his touch was swift to go through her body and add to it. Closing her eyes tightly as she became slightly overwhelmed with everything she was feeling she became a little more deliberate in her movements to try and take everything in. But the one constant that never left her was Castle within her, thrusting along with her and making the friction between them turn into even more heat. She was relieved that she wasn't still in her dress as her body was able to focus more on the warmth they were creating together.

Castle was running his hands from her ass to her hips at that moment, stifling his inclination to slap her by doing so. He held onto them tightly as she started to speed up again and while he enjoyed watching what fucking him made the muscles in his wife's back do, he was quickly becoming impatient at not being able to see her expression. He somehow managed to push himself up and grabbed her, holding her tightly to his chest telling her, "Let me watch you my love." He loved the way her body trembled at his tone of voice and he helped her turn around before she was facing him. They were kissing one another a little recklessly at first before he calmed them down by simply pulling away from her. He stared at her intently as they moved yet again and he was grunting slightly under his breath at the feel of her around him. She was hot to the touch, all of her, and he held onto her with his fingertips slightly digging into her skin. He wanted to feel her, as much as he possibly could, before she was suddenly cupping at the back of his head and leading him down to her breasts. With that he remembered the other reason why he'd wanted her to turn around and he hurriedly descended to her mounds, suckling at her lovingly as she stroked at his hair.

Beckett was unable to stop the soft cries that escaped her mouth while her husband was busy stimulating her breasts. He was sucking, licking and nipping here and there just when she wanted it. She tried to keep her rhythm steady but it was difficult to do so as everything was welling up within her and making her a little unsure if she could continue. So she tried to think of a distraction and was able to quickly get one, raising herself on the next pass around his length so much that it slipped out of her. When her husband pulled away and was about to protest she leaned down to cut him off with a kiss. While they were busy with that she was moving so his member was against her clit and she made short motions, going up and down. It wasn't enough to send her over the edge but she still felt enough pleasure and guessed that he was too with the way he was holding onto her.

"Kate… please," Castle said, breathing roughly out of his nose before he made her stop.

Allowing her husband to move her so she was sliding down him again Beckett wrapped her arms around him tightly and kissed him gently before she began to move slowly at first on him. When they had parted she began to speed up immediately and shivered imperceptibly as she felt his hands sliding down her back. She wasn't sure how she was able to feel his fingers individually but enjoyed it immensely. She stroked his face as gently as she could before he was taking her hands and entwining their fingers, moving them behind her. They fell into another kiss and then began to thrust against one another even harder. She had to admire him doing that since it wasn't easy for him to accomplish that in the position they were in and she allowed his tongue into her mouth.

Castle was sure that he hadn't made love to his wife at all that night, she was still incredibly tight around him and the heat between their bodies was literally making him dizzy. But when they parted from their kiss and were gasping for air he realized it was actually the fact that they'd been so involved in their kiss that was the reason instead. He didn't let that bother him though, as she still felt amazing, and he moved back to her breasts again caressing them and watching her as he did so to see when she came too close to the edge. "Kate," he breathed as she suddenly looked down at him.

"Are you close?" Beckett asked, her voice trembling slightly. Her husband's nod was the last thing she was aware of the split second before her orgasm was racking her body. Her back was arched but luckily her husband was there to hold her up, though very soon after he was nearly digging his nails into her skin as she felt him beginning to join her in her rapture. She was already holding on tightly to him but with the sensation of his joy and the way he was kissing all around her body she tried to do so even more before they called one another's names. Her breasts were brushing against his chest and she wasn't sure how she wasn't getting off for a second time from the way each touch between them was an outburst through her. But she couldn't work herself up to another as her body began to slowly calm down though she found herself again feeling more than a little arousal already.

Castle moved up against Beckett the best he could once she had stopped moving but soon he was stopping and nearly collapsing against his wife as he was panting and trying to recover. "You're… amazing love," he said, running his hands up her back slowly before moving them down.

Beckett smiled and then leaned down to kiss him before they very slowly parted and she then said, "Want to take a bath now?"

Surprised Castle asked, "You don't want to get some sleep." He grunted hard when she squirmed deliberately on him and he said, "That'll go away."

"I don't want to punish you," Beckett told him, brushing her lips against him. "And I'm not ready yet."

Breathing out very hard as his wife got up, Castle scrambled to follow her before going ahead of her in the bathroom to fill the tub. He watched her put her hair up after she had taken off her heels, sitting on the edge to wait for her before he said, "You don't really have to do that."

"And if it gets wet?" Beckett asked, going over to stand next to him. She smiled when he wrapped his arm around her and she smoothed down his hair she'd messed up with her fingers before he had to turn off the water. She waited for him to get in first before going in after and sitting between his legs she leaned against his chest. They sat in silence together, enjoying the warmth of the water and their bodies pressed together before she moved away from him.

"We haven't been here too long," Castle said in protest, thinking she wanted to get out already. He watched her in surprise as she turned to sit on her knees and he was relieved she didn't want to move as he wrapped his arms around her and took her kiss. They fought a bit in her mouth before he pulled away and took advantage of the fact her hair was up by brushing his lips around her neck gently.

Feeling her husband doing that for a good while Beckett eventually reached in between them and ran her hands down his chest until they were under the water. She was a little startled when he didn't seem to react to her, knowing it was because he was so involved in what he was doing that he didn't respond. It helped her as she was soon wrapping her hand around his member. She smiled when he jerked back from her and said, "You don't want me to?"

"No. I mean yes I do," Castle said hurriedly. "Just let me…" he said, reaching down in between her legs and easily finding her clit. He leaned in at the same time as she did and kissed her while they were beginning to pleasure one another with their hands. Their first kiss was sensuous but a little rough, the second slightly out of control and the third gentle before he pressed his forehead against hers. He was breathing roughly as he felt his wife's breath against his lower lip and he whispered to her, "This isn't going to be enough."

"I know," Beckett said, completely in agreement. By then she was moving in time with him and their lips met again before she lost herself in the sensation of him touching her as he soon began to gently grope her breasts. She was sure that they were there for a while; hoping they were; when she began to orgasm, holding onto her husband with her free arm and jerking against him nearly uncontrollably since she didn't have his body on top of her to keep her steady. She didn't care though as she was enjoying what her husband was making her feel before he began to move against her roughly, the water splashing against the sides of the tub while they went through their climaxes. When she finally stopped she leaned against him and then felt him sighing against her neck before she moved back to look at him again. "Should we go?" she asked him.

Reaching up then instead of answering her Castle carefully let her hair down from its makeshift bun, watching the locks fall past her shoulders. It was only then that he told her, "We should."

"Pervert," Beckett said, giving him a wry look as she soon stood up and his hand was firmly cupping her ass before he followed her. When she was stepping out he was there waiting for her, moving rapidly before she could so he could hold her towel out to her. She smiled at her husband before he began to dry her off and waited patiently for him to finish before she helped him. "What is it?" she asked as he then led her out of the room when they were finished, making her drop her towel to the floor.

"Something I want to show you," Castle told her seriously. He didn't answer her question of what that was until they got onto the bed and went to his nightstand.

Beckett could hear him unlocking the door to the cabinet in his nightstand and she tried to lean over to see what he was getting from there but he blocked her view. She was a little startled to find him turning to her, handing her a black colored file.

"To hide it in the shadows," Castle replied. "Open it," he urged her.

Glancing at him Beckett did so and found a pile of papers inside covered with her husband's handwriting. She took the first one and then read off of it, " _The curve of her breast against his hand was as if it was made for him; and him alone; to touch. He caressed her and watched her pleasure in his touch, wanting to see the evidence of that in her face_ … You…" She looked at her husband and then asked, "When did you write this?"

"I've written these since… I saw you after the bomb went off in your apartment," Castle confessed, slightly hesitant at first before deciding he should tell her. "I want to show you since you asked how often my thoughts are sexual about you."

Looking at the top of the writing and then below it Beckett saw that piece was from two days before. She had to guess it had been while she'd been in the bath that night and she recalled their lovemaking that morning when he'd touched her in that way. "Are these in order?" she asked. At his nod she flipped the file over and then took out the top paper which was face down. " _Her skin was soft, even looking at it he knew that was a fact. And he also knew that he was never going to be able to think of anything else when he saw her. But it was the side of her body that made him_ … _need her_."

"I did," Castle said when his wife turned to him questioningly. He was surprised when she kissed him then and told her, "There are more graphic ones later on. Here." He flipped through the sheets of paper before taking one out and handing it over to her. "Read," he urged her.

Though she wanted to make a comment about that Beckett then began to read saying, " _His body flush against hers, he wasn't sure if he would be able to keep his_ … Rick!"

"I told you it was graphic," Castle said, smiling since his wife was doing so as well. He leaned over and kissed her on the cheek before saying, "They're usually written after we're together or fantasies. Frequently it's me not wanting to forget them and at first it was me wanting to use those for Heat and Rook but… I couldn't."

"And I can read these now?" Beckett asked inattentively as she was reading the piece still. She could feel her cheeks flushing deeply at just how descriptive her husband had been, almost able to feel him inside of her and taking her so roughly that she was screaming his name in joy. She just managed to see his nod and she quickly closed the file before handing it to him.

Castle was relieved at that since he couldn't help become aroused watching his wife staring at his words so intently. He hurried to put the file away and as soon as he was up he was turning to his wife who was already positioned for him. He groaned out her name before he got on top of her and then slid slowly into her body. He watched her intently as she reached underneath her head for her pillow before their hips had met. Touching her leg he was relieved when she moved; seeming to already have a position in mind as she got on her elbows, bringing their faces close together before her feet were on his hips. They started to thrust against one another almost at the same time which surprised him as usually she let him begin when he was on top. But he couldn't complain as it allowed him to get deep within her almost instantly and he was gritting his teeth tightly as she tilted her head back with a cry. Seeing the opportunity he moved down and began to kiss at her neck, soon moving back up to her lips so they could kiss roughly which they did the second they were brushing up against one another.

Beckett felt pleasantly warm with her husband's body against hers, moving as fast as he was. She was going at the same pace, or attempting to, but it wasn't hard to feel the slight difference between them. When they were apart eventually she moved before he could and started to kiss at his ear before nibbling at the lobe. His rough thrust into her in reaction to that made her stop what she was doing and she had to apologize at nearly yelling into his ear. They said it at the same time and she smiled, taking his lips before they resumed their movements again. They kissed once before he was pulling back, sliding his arm underneath the small of her back. She wasn't surprised when he finally flipped them around so she was on top of him and was able to recover nicely so they spent little time paused. Raising and lowering herself she wrapped her arms around him tightly before their lips met yet again. But that time they went a little crazy, both of them trying to dominate the other until she found herself on her back again.

Castle wasn't sure what exactly had made him move them but guessed he just wanted the chance to thrust in her again. He did that a few more times before they were again moving; that time at her direction. As soon as they were sitting up on their knees together he was holding her tightly, his hands clasped on the small of her back. Their lips didn't stay apart from each other for very long, even as their switching positions continued for a while. When they finally stopped she was above him and he was hungrily taking her breasts. "When I first saw you…" he began, having to stop and take a few rapid breaths. "I saw you and I… couldn't stop thinking about you Kate. You're a fucking… goddess."

Beckett bit her lower lip at the comparison and she was about to speak when her husband groaned out to her in Irish that she was more precious to him than anything he had. She nearly stopped moving but tried to brush off the compliment as him being caught up in the moment. Luckily she didn't have to think about it as she was climaxing, what she thought was a little too abruptly, but they'd been together for a while. She didn't realize it at first that Castle had stopped moving the instant she'd reached her peak, too involved in what she was feeling to notice. It wasn't until she was slumped on him that she comprehended the fact that he wasn't throbbing against her satisfyingly as she was. "Rick…" she breathed.

"I adore you," Castle said so seriously that he wasn't surprised at the startled look on her face. He then laid her down on her back and with her legs wrapped tightly around him he began to move again, kissing her before he could groan out loud in pleasure. He thrust hard and as roughly as he could, watching his wife closely when he was away from her lips and could do so. He was trying his best to get her off before he did, using everything he knew short of manually stimulating her as their bodies were moving too roughly against one another for him to manage that. But he did manage to get her off and he watched her for those few blissful seconds as her ecstasy was painted across her face until he couldn't take anymore. He was a little off kilter for the second he had when he was roughly struck with the beginnings of his pleasure but soon recovered enough to take in the sensation of her accepting him deeper within her. Her legs and arms were tight around him, heels pounding against him though they shortly began to slow down to his disappointment. He guessed he must have thrust more roughly within his wife as he tended to do; since she gave a gasp; but he honestly couldn't recall if he had or not as he tried to hold himself above her but was close to slumping down on her. "Kate…" he groaned.

"Here," Beckett was quick to say, moving so he was lying next to her. She regretted that as it separated them but focused her attention on him as she held herself above him against his side, her cheek in her hand. "So you really have been writing that long?" she asked as she idly ran her fingers over his chest.

"Not all the time just… when the memory embedded itself in my head and wouldn't let go until I wrote it down," Castle replied. He reached up and took her hand to bring it to his lips before he asked, "Do you mind?"

"No," Beckett replied with a smile before she leaned down and shared a kiss with him. "I'm going to read all of those."

"I didn't expect you to do any less," Castle said easily. He brought her down for another kiss before she began to shiver against him and he said, "We need to get some sleep don't we?"

"We do but tonight was… incredible," Beckett replied.

"It was," Castle said, nodding his head rapidly in his agreement. He kissed her when she smiled and then leaned down to him before he got up himself and grabbed the covers from the end of the bed to drape them over them both. "I meant what I said you know," he told her as he turned before he lay down to look at her on the bed.

"What?" Beckett asked. She was a little startled when her husband reached down and cupped her cheek before he kissed her, the look in his eyes nearly making her breathless before he did with his lips against hers. When he moved away she said, "You were just drunk."

"We didn't have that much to drink," Castle said, not surprised in the slightest that she was trying to deny his sentiment. "But it's true. Though if it's too much for you to hear… then I hope you can believe me when I say I love you Kate."

"I love you too Rick," Beckett replied quickly. She then pulled him down to her and whispered into his ear, "And I think the same about you." She was pleased when he crushed her mouth in a searing kiss as he understood what she meant and she responded to him fervently until they finally had to stop and part, breathing heavily as they settled down to sleep. Pressed close against her husband she very rapidly nodded off as she was comfortable and warm in his arms, fatigued but very sated as she could tell he was the same with the way he held her so close to him.

* * *

Buttoning his shirt the next morning while he looked out at the beach Castle turned to his wife as she slid her arms around him. "You can't get enough of me can you?" he said, unable to help the smirk on his face.

"Don't," Beckett said, rolling her eyes. "And you realize you're the same."

"I am and I freely admit it," Castle replied as he wrapped his arms around her, clasping his hands on the small of her back. "So October was nice, a good Halloween," he told her.

Beckett knew what her husband was trying to do, distracting her as he pulled her closer against his body, but she decided not to mention it before she replied, "So you're looking forward to November."

"You're not?" Castle said. "Your birthday, Thanksgiving, your birthday, Julia's competition-"

"Okay I get it," Beckett said, having to fight her laughter that was tempted to bubble out of her throat. "You're looking forward to Tahiti," she told him as she wrapped her arms around his neck finally, giving in to him.

"And you're not?" Castle said, though he knew the answer to that already. He took her kiss and rapidly responded to it before they were fighting against one another. It was a little calmer than the night before, or just before they'd managed to drag themselves out of bed, but no less enjoyable. He sighed as they were looking at each other and said, "Not much longer."

"No," Beckett replied. She brushed her lips against his and said, "I'm looking forward to that too. But when will we write?"

"I think we should do that again now, up until your competition," Castle said. "When we're not going out for you to practice."

Studying him Beckett said with a slight smile, "You're as excited about that as you are about Tahiti."

"Your birthday," Castle corrected her.

Beckett's response to that was to give him a peck on the lips before she let go of him and said, "Once they're in school and the others are on the way, we're going."

"Great," Castle replied easily. He followed her over to the door and said, "I think we should glean some of what we experienced at the B&B for the book."

Glancing at him since that had been said a little abruptly Beckett said, "I was thinking the same. But let's not make it a fake case."

"No," Castle said with a laugh. He reached out to her and waited for her to take his hand before he led her over to the door. " _I love you_ ," he said softly as he opened it.

" _I love you too_ ," Beckett replied, squeezing his hand before they left their room together.

They would soon join their family and friends but until they did so down in the kitchen they were both thinking about that month. Though there was a lot for them to look forward to their minds would always go back to one thing. Though it wasn't their first time in the South Pacific they were eager to go and have a chance once more to spend as much of their time they could together; hoping they wouldn't have a case at the same time again; to explore the physical and emotional aspects of their love they so desperately needed.


End file.
